Marker visits East Timor stresses support for dialog
JAKARTA (JP): United Nations special envoy Jamsheed Marker made a hasty four-hour visit to East Timor yesterday, holding brief talks with officials and local leaders.
Marker was whisked in and out of the province on a special flight, landing in the town of Baucau, some 130 kilometers east of Dili, to prevent possible demonstrations by pro- and contra- integration groups in the provincial capital.
While in Baucau, he did not venture far from the airport as all the meetings were held within the compound.
Marker held 15-minute meetings with Governor Abilio Jose Osoario Soares, East Timor Military District chief Col. Tono Suratman, Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, Movement for East Timor Reconciliation and Unity chairman Manuel Carrascalao and Committee for East Timor Students and Youths Solidarity chairman Anteiro Bendita da Silva.
The meetings covered a diverse range of issues from a referendum to the military presence in the province.
Marker reiterated the UN's continued commitment to support dialog to help seek a permanent and peaceful solution to the East Timor issue.
"I will continue to hold dialogs with the Portuguese government, and local authorities in the province have been also asked to do the same with the East Timorese people," he was quoted by Antara as saying after meeting with Abilio and Tono.
After meeting with Marker, Tono said the UN envoy understood why it was unlikely that the Armed Forces would pull out of the troubled province while the situation remained unstable.
Tono expressed optimism that the number of military personnel in the province would be gradually reduced, "but it is unlikely to withdraw all of them".
Marker arrived in Jakarta on Thursday as part of the UN's effort to seek an internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor issue. While in Jakarta he met with President B.J. Habibie and foreign minister Ali Alatas.
His arrival comes after Jakarta's latest proposal that the former Portuguese colony, which was integrated into Indonesia in 1976, be given special autonomy status.
Manuel said yesterday that during his meeting with Marker, he handed the UN envoy a set of demands which included one for a referendum.
Yesterday's junket was Marker's third visit to East Timor. He previously visited in March 1997 and December 1997.
One thing was definite, that when his plane took off for Jakarta at 4 p.m. it made it his shortest visit to the province.
There were concerns about his visit, including a plea from Bishop Belo for Marker to postpone his trip out of fear that it might spark trouble among the people.
A visit by European Union ambassadors to East Timor earlier this month sparked pro- and anti-integration demonstrations which resulted in clashes and loss of life.
His visit comes on the heels of a mass exodus by thousands of migrants who had settled in the province but fled in fear that they would be the target of violence.
The next round of formal talks between the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers is expected to be held early next month to discuss the Indonesian proposal. (rms)