E. Timorese leaders meet in Kupang

E. Timorese leaders meet in Kupang

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Twenty three East Timorese liurai
(chieftains) from two warring groups are scheduled to gather in
the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang, on Tuesday to hold
reconciliation talks.

Uni Timor Aswain (UNTAS), who are to host the talks, said on
Monday that the two warring groups have agreed to try to find a
compromise over their differences on the future of East Timor.

Baucau bishop Mgr. Basilio Nascimento will mediate the
meeting.

On Monday, 12 tribal leaders from East Timor arrived in
Kupang. They were Cipriano Correra from Baucau, Anthonio Vicente
from Viqueque, Joa Brito from Laga, Augusto da Silva from
Liquica, Alexio Cortereal from Ainaro, Constantino Barreto from
Bobonarao, Domingos Saldanha from Aileu, Alexio Ximenes from
Baucau, Francisco Gutteres, Francisco Soares and Paulo Assis, all
from Dili.

About 11 East Timorese chieftains, currently residing in West
Timor are expected to participate in the meeting.

UNTAS chairman Domingos M.D. Soares said the meeting would not
adopt a political approach to settle problems that have arisen
between supporters of prointegration and proindependence but it
will place emphasis on the use of East Timorese traditional
culture to settle their differences. (30)