East Timor talks enter new phase

East Timor talks enter new phase

UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan has proved himself to be quite
active in attempting to settle the issue of East Timor.

His special envoy has already approached a number of parties to
gather information for the upcoming tripartite talks, which are
to be attended by representatives of Indonesia, the UN and
Portugal.

Portugal called the last meeting, which was held in December
1996 under the auspices of the then-secretary-general Boutros-
Boutros Ghali.

A few days ago Jamsheed Maker, the UN special envoy, visited
East Timor, where he met with local leaders. He was able to
attempt a firsthand assessment of the situation in East Timor,
even though he was aboard a helicopter for some of the time.

It is to be hoped that the upcoming tripartite talks can yield
some concrete results which are acceptable to all parties.
Portugal should no longer have a say over its former colony and
its people, which it abandoned in a state of civil strife.
Disregarding all ethical standards, Portugal left the people to
settle their own problems while the territory was in a state of
civil disorder.

It is to be hoped that the results will be final, acceptable
and binding. Obviously, to this end the information gathered by
the UN secretary-general's special envoy will receive due
consideration.

The existing realities -- whether favorable or otherwise --
cannot be concealed. With those realities as a foundation, an
edifice must be built that will be beneficial for innumerable
people until well into the future.

-- Republika, Jakarta