Gusmao slated to receive full military welcome
Gusmao slated to receive full military welcome
I Wayan Juniartha and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
Denpasar
Xanana Gusmao, once a political prisoner of the Indonesian
government, is slated to receive a full military welcome as East
Timor President in Jakarta today.
Merdeka Palace has been set since Monday for the state
ceremony, and the canon are ready to provide a 21-gun salute upon
the arrival of Gusmao as the state guest of Indonesian President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The palace is also laying on a state banquet for him and his
entourage, who are on a five-day visit which began in Bali on
Monday.
The possibility of such a state reception must never have
entered his mind as he spent seven long years languishing in the
Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta from 1992 for leading the
separatist movement in East Timor.
The former province finally got its independence in 1999 after
the UN-sponsored ballot that was won by the pro-independence
group, and Gusmao was elected as president last month.
Despite the treatment that he and East Timor suffered for 23
years under Indonesia, Gusmao as the elected president has
repeatedly said that Indonesia was the most important neighbor
for East Timor.
Indonesia is the second country that he has visited as
president after Australia. It should have been the first but for
the fact that Megawati was too busy preparing for her European
visit last month to meet him.
Gusmao was greeted by Bali Governor Dewa Beratha, Udayana
Military Commander Maj. Gen. Willem T. da Costa and Bali Police
chief Brig. Gen. Budi Setyawan.
Upon arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Gusmao said
he believed Indonesia could offer a lot of help to the newly
established country, especially in trade and industry.
He further said that enhancing bilateral relations in the
economic, political and security fields would be on the agenda
for talks with Megawati on Tuesday, when a communique on the
establishment of a joint forum to discuss residual issues after
separation would also be signed.
During the visit, Gusmao is being accompanied by his wife
Kirsty Sword, his son Alexandre Sword Gusmao and five ministers
-- Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Ramos Horta, Minister of
Trade and Industry Arlindo Rengel, Minister of Health Roi Maria
Araujo, Minister of Education Armindo Maya and Minister of
Transportation and Telecommunications Ovidio de Jesus Amaral.
Gusmao stayed in a five-star hotel in Kuta before heading for
Jakarta early Tuesday morning.
In Jakarta, he is slated to hold meetings with Indonesia's
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda,
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and House of
Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.