Government satisfied with recent East Timor dialog

Government satisfied with recent East Timor dialog

JAKARTA (JP): Foreign Minister Ali Alatas gave a thumbs-up
yesterday to the results of the All-Inclusive Intra-East Timor
Dialog in Austria.

"I think the results are quite good," Alatas told journalists.

He expressed satisfaction that unlike at the inaugural talks
last year, the results and discussion at this year's meeting
remained within the parameters set by the United Nations along
with the Indonesian and Portuguese government.

"I feel the outcome is much better this time around," Alatas
remarked.

The talks were held in Burg Schlaining, Austria, from March
19th to 22nd. It brought together Timorese from both sides of the
integration debate for the second time since East Timor was
plunged into civil war in the mid-1970s.

Twenty-eight Timorese from Indonesia and abroad attended the
talks which aimed at reconciliation and boosting confidence among
Timor and creating a conducive atmosphere for the tripartite
talks between Jakarta and Lisbon under the aegis of the UN.

During the fifth tripartite talks in January 1995, it was
agreed that such talks be established.

However the talks were to avoid discussing political matters
or becoming a second track to the negotiations between Jakarta
and Lisbon to find an internationally acceptable solution to the
East Timorese situation.

Insertion

At the end of the first talks last year, separatist leaders
sneakily inserted UN Resolution 37/30 in the final declaration,
which is not the basis of the tripartite talks and bears
reference to East Timorese self-determination.

This year the seven point Burg Schlaining Declaration 1996
focuses more on human resources and the development of the East
Timorese.

"I believe it focuses on more practical matters such as
culture," Alatas said referring to the call for the establishment
of an East Timorese cultural center in Dili.

The cultural center proposed at the talks would be aimed at
undertaking research into culture, such as customs, traditions
and languages which includes both Tetum and Portuguese. (mds)