Lisbon seeks to expand East Timor talks
Lisbon seeks to expand East Timor talks
By Aboeprijadi Santoso
LISBON (JP): Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, with an eye to next week's round of talks with Indonesia on the future of East Timor, said on Wednesday that he would insist on the principle of self determination for East Timorese people.
Gama told The Jakarta Post that he would go to London, where the talks on Jan. 16 will be held, with an open mind and he would also like to hear new proposals from Indonesia.
"I hope we can have a positive development," Gama said. "London will not be a final result, but surely an important step."
The seventh round of talks in London between the two countries' foreign ministers is held under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali. This will be the first involvement of the newly elected Portuguese socialist government led by Prime Minister Antonio Guteres.
Gama is no stranger to the diplomatic world and to the East Timor issue. He served as foreign minister in 1983-85 and was involved in the first round of negotiations in 1983.
The minister said the Portuguese government wants to push the negotiation process toward a "constructive solution". But he stressed that the new Portuguese government will stand firm on the principle of self-determination for the people of East Timor.
"The self determination problem is now directly linked to democracy and the UN. It's an inspiring movement, spreading all over the world," he said.
Indonesia has long rejected another referendum in East Timor, pointing at the fact that East Timorese leaders in 1976 made clear their desire to integrate with Indonesia. Their position was strengthened further by their participation in subsequent Indonesia's general elections since then.
Gama said he would like to see the trilateral talks expanded to include East Timorese representatives. "We cannot only conduct a dialog through the mediation of the UN. We also have to listen to the people there. The people exist, they have their own opinions and choices. Why not have them as participants?"
He explained that "sound representatives" meant the inclusion of some people now in Indonesian jails, including Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao.
Gama also stressed that Lisbon harbors no intention of ever returning to East Timor. "We do not have any idea of having Timor back again as a Portuguese colony. That's idiotic. What we want is a solution. We have to think only of respect for international rule and respect for people's free choice."
While previous rounds of trilateral talks focused more on confidence building measures, Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said in Jakarta last week that the London talks would enter a "substantive phase".
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