Horta's chances

Horta's chances

There appear to be obstacles to Ramos Horta's ambition to take part in the talks on East Timor scheduled for May. Foreign Minister Ali Alatas has made it clear that there is no chance of Horta being involved in the discussions as long as he is against to the framework accepted by Indonesia.

One of the cornerstones of that framework is that the political status of East Timor will not be discussed, which is in accordance to the "Spirit of London" idea agreed upon by the three parties on Jan.9. The accord states the dialog will be continued and expanded, but it will be concerned only with reconciliation and the development of East Timor.

Given that reality, Indonesia's position is very strong. That means that East Timor being an integral part of Indonesia will not be discussed. What needs to be noted is that the people of East Timor comprise the majority of the territory's population and not just a handful of people who profess to represent them.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta