Indonesia and East Timor end talks, signing two agreements

Indonesia and East Timor end talks, signing two agreements

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Indonesia and East Timor ended bilateral talks on Monday,
signing two agreements on direct postal service links and
technical arrangements to facilitate the movement of people and
goods between the enclave of Oecussi and other parts of East
Timor.

In the meeting, the East Timorese delegation also conveyed the
invitation for President Megawati Soekarnoputri to attend
independence celebrations in East Timor on May 20 in a bid to
help head the wounds of the tiny territory's violent transition
to statehood.

Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said that he had
suggested the President accept the invitation and hoped she would
attend the independence celebrations.

A joint statement signed by the heads of the two delegations
-- Hassan and United Nations Transitional Administration in East
Timor (UNTAET) Chief Sergio Vieira De Mello -- acknowledged the
need to maintain existing positive cooperation, especially ahead
of the declaration of Independence of East Timor in May.

"These agreements marked the forward-looking and
reconciliatory relationship between Indonesia and East Timor ...
it is a clear sign to enhance people-to-people contacts that will
benefit the common people of East Timor and Indonesia," Hassan
said in the joint press conference.

De Mello said that the two sides were very pleased with the
progress and finalization of the two agreements that had been
discussed over the past two years, after the East Timorese voted
for independence from Indonesia in 1999.

"We have made considerable progress in the arrangement of the
movement of the people across the border of East Timor and West
Timor, including the talks on traditional markets. We have also
signed an agreement which will greatly benefit the people of
Oecussi," de Mello said.

He also said that a survey team to determine the land border
between Indonesia and East Timor would start working next month
with the two sides expecting to have their first land border
marked on the coming independence day.

The Monday's bilateral meeting marked the end of a bitter
separation process after the East Timorese voted for independence
on Aug. 30, 1999. The former province will hold its first general
election on April 14.

The meeting also marked the start of bilateral talks between
Indonesia and East Timor officials without the presence of
UNTAET.

However, lengthy discussion is still needed to settle many
other remaining issues on the separation between Indonesia and
East Timor as the two delegations have yet to complete talks on
more important issues, such as maritime and land borders, asset
claims and pension funds of former Indonesian civil servants and
security officers along with the repatriation of rupiah.

The two delegations agreed that Indonesia would pay the
pension until the end of the transition period in May and asked
the international community to provide financial support for the
efforts. The pension fund costs around US$22million, so far
Indonesia is only able to provide $2million.

In the joint statement, the two delegations spoke of future
diplomatic ties, that would ensure both sides honor and fulfill
all agreements that had been signed, along with the strengthening
of cooperation on judicial matters and reuniting East Timorese
children with their parents.

Other issues that will be discussed further include the
possibility of cultural contacts, cooperation on archives and the
possibility of East Timorese students continuing their studies in
Indonesia.

During the meeting the East Timorese delegation also raised
the issue of the handling of human rights abuse cases, that
currently awaits the start of the ad hoc tribunal in Indonesia.

De Mello expressed hope that the trial would go as planned and
as the Indonesian government had promised to the international
community. "The most important thing is that justice is served,
not where it is served," he said.