East Timor to open embassies

East Timor to open embassies

Agence France-Presse, Jakarta

Tiny East Timor will open embassies in six countries this year
following independence on May 20, its deputy foreign minister
said on Tuesday.

They will be set up in Jakarta, Canberra, Lisbon, Kuala
Lumpur, Washington and Brussels, Fernando de Araujo Lasama said.

Araujo Lasama, quoted by the state Antara news agency, said
the Jakarta embassy was the top priority as the former Indonesian
province has so many common interests with Indonesia.

He cited border issues, refugees, education, the economy and
other matters.

East Timor stood to gain much from forging closer ties with
Indonesia, Araujo Lasama said. Imports from Indonesia would be
much cheaper than from other countries.

East Timor, he said, also plans to join the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) when it can afford it.

"In the early stages, East Timor will only obtain a status (in
ASEAN) as an observer because Dili will certainly need huge funds
to restructure its economy. Dili will need more money if it wants
to become an ASEAN member as it must open embassies in all the
grouping's member countries," he was quoted as saying at Kupang
in Indonesian West Timor.

Araujo Lasama also said Indonesian President Megawati
Soekarnoputri was expected to attend the May 20 celebrations to
show that Jakarta fully accepts independence.

Senior ministers have said Megawati plans to attend the
ceremony but there has been fierce opposition from nationalist
politicians.

East Timorese, in a UN-initiated ballot in August 1999, voted
overwhelmingly for independence.

Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 but
pulled its last troops out in October 1999 after a campaign of
violence, arson, looting and forced deportation.

An estimated 250,000-270,000 people fled voluntarily or were
forced across the border into West Timor. The UN says 205,000
have now returned home.

Araujo Lasama was visiting West Timor to persuade the
remainder to come back.