Govt, GAM agree on more talks

Govt, GAM agree on more talks

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Negotiators from the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) wound up two days of talks in Helsinki on Saturday
without a concrete result on how to end the decades-long war in
Aceh, but pledged to meet again soon to seek a peace deal.

However, just hours before the leaders decided to agree on
another round of negotiations, the Indonesian Military (TNI)
killed four GAM rebels in a skirmish in an Aceh village, a move
that could potentially threaten any new peace talks.

Government officials and exiled leaders of GAM, meeting for
the first time in nearly two years, said their Finnish mediator
Crisis Management Initiative would convene another meeting "in
the near future" to discuss what an Indonesian minister called "a
comprehensive peace settlement".

The delegations emerged from talks focusing on the
humanitarian crisis in Aceh, where approximately 230,000 people
were killed in the Dec. 26 tidal wave, saying the next round of
talks would deal with their major political differences.

"We have an in-principle agreement to meet again in the near
future to discuss a comprehensive peace settlement under the
umbrella of self-autonomy," State Minister of Communications and
Information Sofyan Djalil was quoted by Reuters.

From Helsinki, GAM political official Mohammed Nur Djuli
refused to describe the meeting as deadlocked, only saying that
"both parties have agreed to meet in another meeting some time
next month."

"There were some differences (of views) between the two
delegations. Of course, it was just an informal meeting aimed at
exploring common ground before we move forward to firmer talks,"
Mohammed told The Jakarta Post by phone from Helsinki on Sunday.

Mohammed acknowledged that the two sides had come up with
their own concepts of dialog during the meeting. The GAM
delegation insisted on a formal implementation of a cease-fire to
facilitate humanitarian relief operation in Aceh.

"Any kind of political talks can be held in another meeting,"
he said.

He said that the Indonesian government delegation had made
several offers to end the conflict in Aceh, including amnesty for
GAM members, the actual implementation of the special autonomy
law for Aceh and also an economic compensation package.

"For sure, it would be improper for us to drop the offers. So
we responded by saying that we would study the offers first. But,
again, it was not an agreement," said Mohammed, who now resides
in Malaysia and was also active during the previous peace talks
in Tokyo, which collapsed in 2003, and prompted the government to
impose martial law in Aceh, allowing the TNI to launch its
largest offensive ever against the GAM rebels.

He said that the CMI would arrange the second meeting, likely
to take place again in Helsinki on Feb. 21.

Political analyst Salim Said said that although no formal
agreement was reached, the fact that GAM was willing to pursue
more talks in the future was, in itself, a breakthrough.

"Past negotiations between the Indonesian government and GAM
simply fizzled out without reaching any agreement, however
informal. What the Helsinki talks have achieved is a success," he
told The Post.

He said that with this new development, the TNI should
restrain itself from pressing GAM further against the wall.

"Continuing offensives against GAM must be put to a halt so
that they will not have an excuse to renege on their pledge in
the future. Such an offensive is also unnecessary, as GAM is
currently under tremendous pressure from the international
community to not hamper the relief efforts," he said.

Prominent Acehnese academic Hasballah M. Saad said: "This is
positive progress and must be appreciated by both sides."