Australia calls for greater autonomy in E. Timor

Australia calls for greater autonomy in E. Timor

CANBERRA (Agencies): Australia yesterday urged Indonesia to
allow greater political autonomy and to withdraw many of its
troops stationed in the province of East Timor.

Foreign Minister Gareth Evans told the Australia-Indonesia
Ministerial Forum here that the situation in East Timor was an
area of disagreement which required frank bilateral exchanges.

Evans was speaking at the opening of a two-day meeting
involving senior ministers from both countries designed to foster
closer bilateral trade links. The first was held in 1992.

He said relations between the two countries at the political
level "have never been better".

Relations between Australia and Indonesia have warmed in
recent years in tandem with regular meetings between Australian
Prime Minister Paul Keating and Indonesian President Soeharto.

East Timor was formerly a Portuguese colony. It was integrated
into Indonesia in 1976, after Portugal left its colony following
the outbreak of civil war in the territory.

The United Nations still recognizes Portugal as the legitimate
administrator of East Timor, but Australia has accepted
Indonesia's sovereignty over the province.

"We continue to hope it will be possible sooner rather than
later to implement a reconciliation strategy involving major
drawdowns of the military presence, more substantial recognition
of the distinctive culture of this province, sensitive
development of its economic potential and hopefully some greater
degree of political autonomy," Evans said.

Last month, Evans called on Indonesia to address human rights
issues on the island after hundreds of students protesting
religious conflicts clashed with anti-riot forces in East Timor.
Evans said yesterday other issues "that have caused some
international concern lately include the withdrawal of licenses
from three mass circulation magazines, Tempo, DeTik and Editor,
and the arrest on criminal charges of the trade union leader
Pakpahan."

Transition

"We understand that the social conditions prevailing in
Indonesia at this time of transition are very different from our
own," Evans said.

"But we hope nevertheless that our voice of concern -- about
the impact of issues of this kind on Indonesia's international
reputation -- will be heard, and that it will be heard, moreover,
in the friendly and constructive spirit in which it is meant."

Co-chairman of the forum, Hartarto, Indonesia's Coordinating
Minister for Industry and Trade, said his country recognized such
issues would arise occasionally "because of differences in our
values" and it was ready to discuss the points raised by Evans.

The ministerial forum, established by Australian Prime
Minister Paul Keating and Indonesian President Soeharto in 1992,
is the second after the inaugural meeting in Jakarta in November,
1992.

Nine ministers from Australia and Indonesia are in Canberra
for the forum, including Australian Treasurer Ralph Willis, Trade
Minister Bob McMullan and Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas,
Agriculture Minister Sjarifudin Baharsjah and Trade Minister
Satrio Budiardjo Joedono.

The meeting, expected to focus on increasing trade and
investment in the region, went into closed session after the
opening addresses.