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