Indonesia pledges fair East Timor vote

Indonesia pledges fair East Timor vote

DILI, East Timor (JP): A team of top government and military
officials pledged here on Monday their commitment to a fair
popular consultation on self-determination in East Timor next
month.

"TNI (the Indonesian Military) and the police fully support
the agreement achieved by the government in the tripartite
(talks)," military chief Gen. Wiranto said.

"The decision (by President B.J. Habibie to hold the vote) is
final. The benefit and losses have been carefully calculated and
together we support the policy."

Wiranto was speaking at the end of a day-long visit by 16
senior ministers, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas, Minister of Justice Muladi, Coordinating Minister for
Political Affairs and Security Feisal Tanjung, Coordinating
Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita
and Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus. National Police chief
Gen. Roesmanhadi was also present at the meetings with UN Mission
in East Timor (UNAMET) representatives and local officials.

The visit came two days after United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan warned that poor security -- which is the
responsibility of the Indonesian police -- threatened the polls.

Annan held Indonesia responsible for delaying the start of the
voter registration by three days from Tuesday. He said the
process would only begin on Friday if tangible improvements in
security were witnessed.

Annan said the main reason for the delay was Jakarta's failure
to control pro-Jakarta armed militias operating "with impunity"
in the former Portuguese colony.

The militias have openly attacked and intimidated
proindependence East Timorese and, most recently, UNAMET members.

Alatas said the number of ministers in the delegation "shows
our government's determination, our sincerity and our seriousness
to really implement what we have agreed to do on the basis of the
New York agreement".

He said Indonesia "welcomed" the three-day delay, but added:
"One way or another it will not affect... the holding of the
actual ballot.

"That is a different decision, and it is still going to be
held two weeks after the date of Aug. 8... the exact date has
not yet been determined... it will be Aug. 21 or Aug. 22."

He refused to comment on specific measures the government and
the military would take to improve security, saying only: "The
security situation is continuously improving."

"There are still some sporadic events that should not have
happened, but they are being overcome," he said, adding that
Indonesian authorities were "getting to the bottom" of the two
most serious militia attacks on UNAMET representatives.

"The culprits are being investigated now. We are getting to
the bottom of it... and we are also taking other measures that
will continue to improve the security situation."

Annan's special envoy Francesc Vendrell told AFP after an
hour-long meeting with Alatas at police headquarters that the two
had discussed "the conditions laid down in the agreement, both in
terms of security and in terms of allowing a greater level
playing field".

"I think I have... noticed a great willingness to see the
problem as it is and to do something about it.

"They (the Indonesian government) have certainly said they
will take measures that we believe are needed to allow everybody
to express their views, to allow everybody to have freedom of
movement in the territory," Francesc was quoted as saying.

Under an agreement signed in New York in May with the UN,
Indonesia and Portugal agreed the East Timorese would vote on
Aug. 8 on whether they accept an offer of broad autonomy under
Indonesia.

But last month Annan delayed the vote by two weeks, citing
logistical and security reasons.

Annan will decide on Friday whether the vote will go ahead as
scheduled.(33)