EU ambassadors to visit E. Timor
JAKARTA (JP): Three European Union ambassadors will arrive in East Timor tomorrow for a four-day visit, in a move reflecting "continuing and increased concern" over the situation there, the British Foreign Office said in a statement.
The three ambassadors -- Britain's Robin Christopher, Austria's Viktor Segalla and Paul Brouwer of the Netherlands -- represent the heads of the diplomatic missions of the European Union Troika here.
Accompanying the three ambassadors will be European Commission representative to Jakarta Klauspeter Schmallenbach and EU council secretariat representative Christer Persson.
"Representatives from EU missions have visited East Timor regularly in recent years in order to observe the situation in the territory first hand," the Foreign Office said in the statement, a copy of which was released by the British Embassy here.
"The fact that the present visit is being undertaken by Heads of Mission reflects the Union's continuing and increased concern with the situation in East Timor and its wish to improve its commitment to support all those working for a peaceful solution.
"It does not represent any change in the position of the EU and its member states on the status of East Timor," it asserted.
East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. The United Nations and the European Union, however, has not recognized it.
The EU yesterday expressed its continued support for the talks between Indonesia and Portugal under the aegis of the United Nations secretary-general to find an internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor issue.
While EU diplomats have frequently traveled to the province, ambassadors have not visited due to their government's position on East Timor.
Meanwhile, a small group of pro-independence East Timorese protesters held a rally yesterday near President B.J. Habibie's home in Kuningan, South Jakarta. They were joined by some 30 members of the United Indonesia Democratic Union Party (PUDI).
They were stopped about 500 meters from the street leading to Habibie's home by armed troops guarding the area.
The protesters called on the government to hold a referendum on self-determination in the province.
They also demanded that all political prisoners be released without exception and urged for the allegedly ill-gotten wealth of former president Soeharto and his family to be returned to purchase much needed basic commodities for the people. (mds)