Indonesia wants Australia kept off UN force

Indonesia wants Australia kept off UN force

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives and the ruling
Golkar Party demanded on Monday that Australia and Portugal be
excluded from any international peacekeeping forces sent to
restore peace and order in East Timor.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) also insisted that Jakarta
should be consulted about the makeup of the UN force.

President B.J. Habibie, who met with the House leadership to
explain his about-face decision to let the United Nations send a
peacekeeping mission into the ravaged territory, fell short of
making specific demands.

Habibie said he was leaving the matter entirely up to the UN
Security Council to determine the makeup of the peacekeeping
force, "after negotiations with the Indonesian delegation".

"I'm not mentioning countries," he said when asked whether
Indonesia would approve the presence of Australia or Portugal.

Indonesia is not at war with anyone, he said. "We're on
friendly terms with everyone."

Speaker Harmoko fell short of declaring his support for the
decision, saying that the House "understood" the steps being
taken by the government in resolving the East Timor crisis.

Harmoko also urged Habibie to send Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Alatas and Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto to
brief the House regarding the details of the agreement.

Habibie had sent Alatas to discuss details of the peacekeeping
mission with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Two military top
brass, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Navy Rear Admiral
Yoost F. Mengko, will join Alatas in the negotiations in New
York.

One crucial question to resolve is whether the Indonesian
Military will be under the UN force or a separate entity in the
East Timor operation, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat said.

Habibie announced his decision on Sunday in the wake of
increasing international criticisms against Jakarta's failure to
stop violence in East Timor.

He offered a "security cooperation" arrangement in which the
United Nations peacekeeping force would work together with the
Indonesian Military.

The government's international and domestic indignation has
nevertheless left a bitter taste among many Indonesian leaders.

They vented their anger at Australia, Portugal and to a lesser
extent the United States, Canada and New Zealand, which they
singled out as countries most vocal in pressuring Indonesia over
the past week.

TNI said it supported the government's decision to send the UN
mission to help restore peace in East Timor, which it insisted
remains an Indonesian territory until November.

TNI preferred to have mostly forces from Southeast Asian
countries, Sudrajat said, adding that although Indonesia did not
have the last say, its voice should be heard.

"Failing that, we could have a multinational force. Germany to
represent Europe, Canada from the Americas, Vietnam from Asia,
Egypt from the Middle East and South Africa from Africa."

When asked about Australia, he said: "We have to watch
Australia because our relations have been disrupted. The
government and TNI can not ignore the public's negative reaction
which does not welcome Australia's participation."

House Commission I for foreign affairs said the government
should reject the participation of Australia, New Zealand and
Portugal because they have political interests in East Timor.

"These three countries would stir up new trouble because they
are clearly not neutral," commission chairwoman Aisyah Aminy
said.

"These countries have imposed their will on us to get
themselves involved in East Timor. They have no shame," Aisyah
said.

She said she took her cue from the participation of many
Australians in the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET),
which organized the historic Aug. 30 ballot. "They clearly
imposed their will on the East Timorese. If Australian troops are
involved now, they will prolong the East Timor problem."

The commission said the government should insist on countries
more neutral and who have no political interests in the UN
forces. This includes Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and the
Philippines in this category.

Aminullah Ibrahim, a member of House Commission I from the
military faction, cautioned that Australian political parties
would use East Timor to bolster their popularity in this year's
elections.

"The participation of Australian forces would only prolong the
East Timor crisis," Aminullah said.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said Australia, the United
States, New Zealand, Canada and Portugal should be excluded from
any peacekeeping mission in East Timor because they were not
neutral, Antara reported.

Akbar said Golkar viewed the decision to let in the UN forces
was the best policy to bring an immediate end to the East Timor
crisis.

But the forces should come from countries which had no
political interests and which were neutral to both conflicting
parties in East Timor.

"If you bring forces from countries that are not neutral, you
will stir up people's emotions. It would be such a waste," he
said.

He said the international peacekeeping forces must coordinate
their operation with TNI, which is familiar with the territory
and conflict.

"As soon as the situation in East Timor is brought under
control, the UN forces should leave East Timor," Akbar said.

East Timor will remain under Indonesia's rule until November.
"Its sovereignty cannot be undermined," he said. (rms/emb)