East Timorese call for more talks
East Timorese call for more talks
By Aboeprijadi Santoso
STADT-SCHLAINING, Austria (JP): East Timorese from both sides of the integration debate have supported holding future talks in the framework of the All-Inclusive Intra East Timor Dialog (AETD).
The participants in the four-day dialog, which concluded here yesterday, agreed to ask the Indonesian and Portuguese governments and the United Nations, to support a convening of similar talks in the future.
The dialog should be held once or twice a year, they felt.
However, they remain separated on contentious issues such as the demilitarization of the region.
This week's meeting was the second round of talks; the first was held here last year.
The dialog was born out of the fifth tripartite talks between the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers in January 1995, held in Geneva under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary General.
It brings together East Timorese of all factions who support and oppose integration.
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. Nevertheless the UN still recognizes Lisbon as the administrating power there.
Participants of the AETD are not allowed to discuss political solutions to the East Timor question. This is the prerogative of the tripartite talks between Jakarta, Lisbon and the UN.
During this round, there were debates over the separatist leaders' proposal that the AETD be institutionalized as possibly a consultative body at the UN.
While various proposals were being aired, the leader of the Timorese from Indonesia, F.X. Lopes da Cruz, strongly rejected an item calling for the demilitarization of East Timor.
Indonesia has never considered East Timor to be a militarized area.
Another item discussed is visits from East Timorese living abroad to their homes in East Timor.
Lopes indicated that he and his group of pro-integrationists would be open to the idea of inviting such visits within the framework of the AETD.
Fretilin separatist leader Ramos Horta also warmed to the idea of such visits.
"I personally would like to go. But since this a political matter I would have to consult Xanana Gusmao," said Horta referring to the jailed separatist leader who is now serving time in Cipinang prison, Jakarta.
After the conclusion of their meeting, AETD delegates were scheduled to meet with visiting Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama in Vienna, about 120 kilometers away.
He was scheduled to meet with East Timorese integration supporters in the afternoon and East Timorese from abroad later in the day.