E. Timor's Bishop Belo defends Horta's Nobel Peace Prize

DILI, East Timor (JP): Contrary to the chorus of Indonesian officials' disapproval of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to separatist leader Jose Ramos Horta, joint winner Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo defended the choice yesterday, saying everyone should respect the Nobel Committee's judgment.

Belo expressed regret that certain people have berated Horta's award and questioned the criteria for his selection.

"My principle is that everyone should respect each other, including Ramos Horta. I hope no one else quarrels about this. Personally I have said several times that everyone should live in peace," Belo said at his home.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday Belo and Horta as the 1996 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. The selection dumbfounded government officials here, who have considered Horta as a political adventurer and anti-integrationist.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976.

Horta, who currently resides in Australia, leads a small but vocal anti-integration lobby against Indonesia. His selection as a Nobel laureate is a severe blow to Indonesian diplomacy since it gives credit to his cause.

Belo refuted suggestions by Indonesian political figures that he should reject the award since it would put him in the same league as Ramos Horta.

"Why should I return it? Concerning Ramos Horta, that's the business of the Nobel committee and no one else," Belo remarked.

The former chairman of the United Development Party, H.J. Naro, said in Jakarta yesterday that Belo should return the award because it was given jointly with Horta.

When asked to comment on a possible solution to the East Timor issue, Belo said that whatever resolution is formulated, it must satisfy and be acceptable to all sides, namely Indonesia, Portugal, the United Nations and the Timorese people themselves.

He called for more openness in the province and greater honesty to the people about the problems being encountered.

"The people are still being lied to. There's still too much propaganda. This is what we have to stop here," he said.

According to Belo one way to improve the overall atmosphere in East Timor was for a transparent and comprehensive dialog which would remove any lingering suspicions. (03/mds)