Mediator hopeful for next Aceh talks

Mediator hopeful for next Aceh talks

Former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, mediator in peace
talks between the Indonesian government and separatist Aceh
province rebels, said Thursday he hoped dialogue would soon
resume.

"The spirit that people approach this with, I hope bodes well
for the next round (of talks)," Ahtisaari said in an interview
with AFP.

The former UN under-secretary general and career diplomat last
weekend mediated the first peace talks between the Indonesian
government and the Free Aceh movement (GAM) in nearly two years
since a truce between them broke down in May 2003 and the
Indonesian army launched an offensive to end the insurgency.

The core issue of the talks will be whether GAM wants to
become part of the civilian political process in Aceh, or
continue its drawn-out armed conflict and possibly be sidelined
by other groups in the province.

"The train is moving. The question is if we can stop it so a
new group (GAM) can join the train, but they have to come to this
conclusion themselves," he said.

"Also think of the consequences, every leader of this sort of
movement has an enormous responsibility. I don't envy them, and I
told them so," he noted.

"The past history is a difficult one, and if we fail I am
afraid that the future will be not that rosy either," Ahtisaari
said.

The next meeting will be "decisive", he added, pointing out
that it will likely give a clear indication where the
negotiations are heading. -- AFP