Indonesia, Portugal agree on East Timor package
Indonesia, Portugal agree on East Timor package
UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): Indonesia and Portugal agreed
yesterday to hold in-depth discussions on Indonesia's proposals
for a "special status, based on a wide-ranging autonomy" for East
Timor, according to a communique issued after two days of talks.
The two foreign ministers, Ali Alatas and Jaime Gama, also
agreed to establish interests sections in each other's capitals
by the end of this year, as part of a package relating to their
long-standing differences over East Timor.
U.N.-sponsored talks aimed at finding an acceptable solution
have dragged on sporadically since 1983. A new opportunity
appeared to open up when economic and political turmoil in
Indonesia in May ended three decades of rule by President Suharto
and he was replaced by President B.J. Habibie.
The talks on autonomy, "without prejudice to their basic
positions of principle," will be held by senior officials on the
two sides, who will report to a ministerial meeting at an early
date with the hope that "an agreement could be reached on this
issue before the end of the year."
Indonesia and Portugal have had no diplomatic relations since
Indonesia's integration of East Timor and the establishment of
interests sections, in the embassies of friendly countries, is a
first step towards re-establishing diplomatic ties.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday urged both
countries to find a more realistic and comprehensive solution to
the East Timor issue.
"UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his diplomats have tried
to create a better climate and mutual understanding between the
two concerned sides," Gama added.
Alatas said on a separate occasion that the dialog was held in
a better and more flexible atmosphere compared to the previous
rounds of talks.
Gama also said the dialog was "more effective".
Annan first conferred separately with the two ministers and
then chaired a joint session, with talks resuming in the
afternoon.
The two ministers declined to provide details of their talks,
saying the dialog has yet to be concluded.
"The dialog has not yet been concluded, I will brief you after
the negotiation is concluded tomorrow (Wednesday)," Gama said as
quoted by Antara.
He said he was barred from going into details because Annan
"asked us for a certain basic behavior."
But according to Reuters, Gama's demeanor and that of
accompanying Portuguese diplomats gave the impression that a
substantive announcement could be in the offing after the talks
ended
The Portuguese foreign minister praised Annan's role during
the meetings.
"As everybody knows, we (Indonesia and Portugal) have
different approaches to the issue but we try to find common
points for a realistic and comprehensive solution," said Gama,
who was accompanied by Portuguese Ambassador to the UN Antonio
Monteiro.
The ascendancy of B.J. Habibie to the Indonesian presidency
signaled a mild change in Jakarta's policy as it proposed East
Timor be given special autonomous status and event went about to
symbolically reduce the number of troops in the tiny territory.
However, Indonesia remains steadfast in its position of
rejecting any referendum in East Timor.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Armed Forces withdrew 300 more
troops from East Timor yesterday.
The withdrawal was the second in a three-stage pullout,
following the July 28 removal of 398 troops.
"We hope to perform the final withdrawal on Aug. 8, bringing
this withdrawal to a total of 1,000 troops," East Timor military
commander Col. Tono Suratman said.