Marker visits East Timor stresses support for dialog

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)