Megawati may visit E. Timor

Megawati may visit E. Timor

JAKARTA: Despite strong opposition from the House of
Representatives (DPR), President Megawati Soekarnoputri is highly
likely to attend East Timor's independence celebrations on May 20
in Dili, said legislator Pramono Anung of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Pramono, who is also the PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-
general, said President Megawati received an invitation from the
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan two weeks ago.

"She told them that it was very likely she would honor the
invitation," Pramono told reporters after the party's weekly
meeting on Monday.

He said Megawati would also take into consideration the views
of House Commission I overseeing foreign policy, which has
demanded that Megawati shun the independence celebrations, saying
that her attendance would only add insult to injury.

According to Pramono, Indonesia must be able to accept and
deal with the painful fact of East Timor's existence.

East Timor was once part of Indonesia up until its people
voted to secede from the country in a United Nations-sponsored
referendum in 1999. -- JP