Australia concerned by East Timor moves

Australia concerned by East Timor moves

JAKARTA (JP): Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on
Friday an independent East Timor could be a financial burden to
Australia and reiterated his view that autonomy within Indonesia
was a better option.

Howard was quoted by Antara as saying he did not oppose
independence for the disputed territory as proposed by President
B.J. Habibie, but argued it would make East Timor more vulnerable
and "more lonely".

He also said a hasty decision to secede would impose a heavy
financial weight on Australia.

Australia would be "appropriately generous" if the East
Timorese people opted for independence, Howard said, adding, "but
I am concerned about the potential burden".

In comments to a Melbourne radio station, he reaffirmed that
he would prefer to see a period of autonomy for the former
Portuguese colony which was integrated into Indonesia in 1976 --
a move which the United Nations never recognized.

Habibie said on Thursday that by next year he wanted an
independent East Timor in order to free Indonesia from the burden
posed by the province.

His comment followed a surprise announcement by the government
last month that it would propose independence for East Timor if
the people there rejected an offer of wide-ranging autonomy.

Habibie's remarks came a day after the government transferred
Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao from Cipinang Prison to a special
detention house in Central Jakarta, in order to allow the rebel
leader to participate in finding a solution to the East Timor
problem.

"It was a fair statement (by Habibie) and it is about time to
solve the East Timor problem," Xanana said after meeting Anna
Gomes, the head of the Portuguese interest section in Indonesia.

Xanana also said that everybody should be consulted about East
Timor's future.

"In order to reach a peaceful solution, it is important to
involve all sides in the dialog in order to reduce the
possibility of a civil war," he said, adding that he had repeated
his demand for an independent East Timor to Gomes.

"She asked me if I prefer autonomy or independence. It is
clear what I want, not what I prefer ... I want independence for
East Timor," Xanana said.

It was Xanana's first official visit since being moved to the
detention house on Wednesday, after serving five years in
Jakarta's Cipinang Prison. Xanana, 53, was arrested in 1992 and
sentenced to 20 years in jail for his pro-independence
activities. The government, however, insists that he was
convicted of criminal charges, including the illegal possession
of firearms.

Gomes told reporters that "the wish of the East Timorese
people is the crucial element" in the efforts to seek a
comprehensive solution to the disputed province.

Meanwhile, Antara reported that Australian Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer would visit Indonesia and hold intensive
discussions on East Timor with Habibie on Feb. 25.

The news agency said that Downer would also meet prominent
East Timorese leaders in the coming weeks, including Nobel
Laureate Jose Ramos Horta and senior members of the Fretilin
resistance group.

Noting that Habibie had indicated the possibility of Indonesia
granting the East Timorese independence as early as the beginning
of next year, Downer said the details on any transition process
were still not clear. "Australia has a keen interest in seeing a
peaceful and orderly process," he said.

In Lisbon, Horta on Thursday called Habibie courageous, adding
that it was the first time he had ever praised an Indonesian
leader.

The deputy leader of the National Council for the Timorese
Resistance was asked by journalists to comment on Habibie's call
for the issue of East Timor to be resolved by the end of the
year.

"If that is what he said it reflects the courage of a true
statesman," Horta was quoted as saying after meeting Portugal's
President Jorge Sampaio.

Separately, Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of General Affairs Lt.
Gen. Soegiono said on Friday that the military would support an
independent East Timor if it was in the best interest of the
country.

ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto stated two weeks ago the military
would support the people if they wanted East Timor to be
separated from Indonesia.

However, Wiranto, who is also the minister of defense and
security, asked the nation not to forget the sacrifices made by
the soldiers and civilians who lost their lives defending the
territory's integration into Indonesia.

The general said the military would carry out the mandate of
the country's highest institution, the People's Consultative
Assembly, should it decide to grant East Timor independence. (byg)