Cook expresses concern over rights situation in E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): Visiting British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook expressed concern yesterday over the current human rights situation in East Timor and indicated the possible cancellation of some arms sales from his country to Indonesia over the issue.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said in a separate press conference that Jakarta could not accept arms sales being linked to human rights issue, and that efforts are continuously made to provide the province with autonomy.

During his meetings with President Soeharto and Alatas yesterday, Cook suggested the Indonesian government should be more willing to hear the views of the population of East Timor.

Stressing that no country should lecture another on its duties, he said he also offered a constructive partnership with Indonesia to assist human rights promotion here.

On the issue of arms sales, he said: "Britain has recently reviewed our criteria for arms sales in the light of our commitment to human rights... And the criteria will be applied to Indonesia on the same basis as any other country".

Alatas, however, said that Indonesia could easily turn to other countries if Britain was firm in its commitment.

Cook said that finding a lasting solution to the conflict in East Timor would be of immediate benefit not only to those who live there, but also for Indonesian people and the government.

Cook arrived here yesterday for a two-day visit as part of his Southeast Asian trip that also includes Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

Apart from his meeting with Soeharto and Alatas, he also met with a group of government critics and rights activists, and visited the National Commission on Human Rights, a government- sponsored body respected for its independent work.

"Cook revealed to us that public opinion there has prompted his government to review its policies on arms sales," said Marzuki Darusman, vice chairman of the Commission, after the meeting.

Cook underlined Britain's full support for the third meeting of the All-Inclusive Intra East Timor Dialog to be held in the near future in Austria, as a part of efforts to find a just solution on the Indonesia's youngest province.

The foreign minister's six-point proposal presented to Alatas included practical support for the work of non-government organizations on human rights and scholarships for Indonesians to continue their human rights studies.

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Britain is one of Indonesia's biggest sources of weapons. In 1996 about half of the UK's exports to Jakarta, worth of US$1.3 billion, were defense sales.

The country, however, exempted from its new arms sales policy the contracts for 16 Hawk jet fighters and light tanks, respectively worth US$256 million and $240 million, made by the previous Conservative government.

"We repeated our general position ... Indonesia cannot accept if arms sales or arms exports or trade ... are linked to such issues as human rights as a conditionality," Alatas said in his press conference.

He remarked that East Timor has already enjoyed autonomy.

"We are always willing to look even further for whatever we can do to give even greater autonomy to East Timor," he said. He added, however, that the government could not accept the idea of a special autonomous status for the province.

About his meeting with Cook, Alatas said: "I think we had very good talks and I think he made an explicit point that he did not believe that lecturing was something that would be productive in discussing human rights".

On Cook's proposal that a delegation of European ambassadors based here visit Dili, Alatas noted that the government has always allowed them to go there anytime.

The two ministers also agreed to boost bilateral relations between the two countries and strengthen efforts to protect the environment. (prb/aan)

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