Govt reiterates limited agenda for Aceh peace talks
Govt reiterates limited agenda for Aceh peace talks
The head of the government delegation in negotiations with Aceh
separatist rebels reiterated on Thursday that a second round of
talks would go ahead if the rebels stick to the government's
agenda.
A government team is due to sit down with rebels from the
tsunami-shattered province in the Finnish capital Helsinki on
Monday, but has repeatedly said only "special autonomy" is on the
table for the province and not full independence.
"If that is going to be the direction of the dialogue, then we
will go to the talks," said chief security minister Widodo
Adisucipto, who heads the government delegation.
"Indonesia has two suggestions for a comprehensive and
dignified solution to Aceh: firstly the acceptance of special
autonomy and secondly the end of conflict," he told journalists.
He added that the government side would be represented by the
same group of negotiators who flew from Jakarta for the first
round of talks in January.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday insisted that
only "special autonomy" was on the agenda, noting that even the
United Nations had expressed support for Indonesia's territorial
integrity.
"I consider the talks can be continued if we have a concrete
agenda that will still focus on the acceptance of special
autonomy and other things related to that concept," Susilo said.
"We will continue the informal talks if the GAM (Free Aceh
Movement) leadership fully commits to that agenda."
Negotiators from the two sides met in Helsinki last month for
informal talks as pressure built to end the 29-year-long conflict
in the wake of December's tsunami, which killed an estimated
230,000 people in Aceh province alone.
It was the first time the two parties had met face-to-face
since May 2003, when the government declared martial law and
launched a military offensive in the province after a cease-fire
broke down.
GAM has been fighting for independence for the oil-rich Aceh
province on Sumatra island since 1976. It says the Indonesian
government plunders its resources and troops commit atrocities
against the local population. --AFP