Habibie set up team on E. Timor's status

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie assigned on Saturday the National Development Planning Board to formulate development policies for East Timor in accordance with the special status it will be accorded.

The establishment of the team is a follow-up on the agreement between Indonesia and Portugal under the auspices of the United Nations to hold in-depth discussions on Indonesia's proposal for a "special status based on a wide-ranging autonomy" for the province.

East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares after meeting with the President at the Bina Graha presidential office said he had been asked by Habibie to provide a report on the latest development in Indonesia's youngest province.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. The integration has yet to be recognized by the United Nations, which has sponsored talks between Jakarta and Lisbon to find an internationally acceptable solution to the issue.

Habibie recently said he would grant a special status to the troubled province and the Armed Forces also completed the withdrawal of more than 1,000 combat troops from East Timor earlier this month.

However, the government remains steadfast in its position of rejecting any referendum on independence in the province. (byg)