Jakarta questions Lisbon's intention on East Timor
Jakarta questions Lisbon's intention on East Timor
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia questioned Portugal's move yesterday to continue supporting separatist elements in East Timor amid efforts to build confidence between Jakarta and Lisbon.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres said in a speech broadcast to East Timor by satellite on Sunday that Lisbon would continue to support efforts for self-rule in East Timor.
"I have read news reports that Prime Minister (Antonio) Guterres has delivered an address on TV which was in fact directly aimed at the East Timorese people," Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told The Jakarta Post.
Alatas said such a move did little to improve the efforts currently being conducted to resolve the situation in East Timor.
"I can't understand why, in the middle of the trilateral talks which are designed to create a better atmosphere for a solution (to the East Timor question), the Portuguese government is in fact continuing an incessant campaign which is not helping the climate at all," responded Alatas.
Under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers have been holding talks to find an internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor issue. Little headway was achieved in the latest round of talks on Jan. 16 in London. The two ministers are scheduled to meet again on June 28 in Geneva.
In prior talks both sides agreed to concentrate on fostering confidence building measures and avoid measures which would be counter-productive to the process.
Alatas maintains that Lisbon has shown no willingness to enforce these principles and continues to undertake acts which are ill-suited to confidence building.
In the satellite broadcast by Portuguese RTP-International, which was received in East Timor, Guterres expressed his conviction to support the Timorese struggle for freedom.
"It is necessary to support your wish for freedom...You can count on my help within my possibilities," Reuters quoted Guterres as saying in the native Timorese language of Tetum.
Meanwhile, the 12 Timorese asylum seekers lodged at the Polish embassy since last Thursday left the mission compound yesterday and were flown to Portugal.
The departure of the 12 increased the total number of Timorese asylum seekers who have left for Lisbon to 62 since September.
All had to settle for Lisbon after their initial requests for asylum in various European and Asian countries were rejected.
A few hours earlier yesterday, a separate group of four Timorese sought political asylum at the French embassy.
The French embassy on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, apparently the embassy of choice for asylum seekers, has hosted Timorese fence jumpers three times in two-months.
Indonesian officials have maintained that the youths were either victims of misinformation from anti-Indonesian government groups, or seeking a free ticket to Portugal. (mds)