Moving toward a post-UN administered East Timor

The following article is based on an address by Musma Musa Abbas, head of the Indonesian delegation to the Donors' Meeting of the United Nations Transitional Authority for East Timor (UNTAET) - World Bank on East Timor. The talks were held in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 22-23.

LISBON, Portugal: Since we met six months ago at the first Donors' Meeting on East Timor in Tokyo, there has been considerable progress in Indonesia's endeavors to open a new chapter in its relationship with East Timor.

I am pleased to recall how warmly and enthusiastically the people of East Timor welcomed President Abdurrahman Wahid during his historic visit to Dill on Feb. 29. At the end of the visit, that demonstration of statesmanship, reconciliation and cordiality culminated with the signing by the Indonesian Foreign Minister and the Head of UNTAET of a Joint Communique that identified important areas of cooperation on East Timor between the government of Indonesia and UNTAET.

These include tasks that must be undertaken in view of the transfer of authority over East Timor from Indonesia to the United Nations and those that would lay down the foundation for relations between Indonesia and a post-UNTAET East Timor.

Just as constructive have been the visits to Jakarta by East Timorese leaders like Jose Alexandre Gusmao. On those occasions President Abdurrahman Wahid made it a point to urge all East Timorese to reconcile and work together for a brighter future for their people, while assuring them of Indonesia's support in that vital endeavor.

Our cooperation with UNTAET has been a positive factor in our efforts to address the various issues that stem from the transfer of authority over East Timor from Indonesia to the UN. Among these issues are the questions of border delineation, Indonesian assets public and private -- that were left behind in East Timor, East Timorese students in Indonesian institutions of higher learning and East Timorese who were Indonesian civil servants.

My delegation is pleased to inform this Meeting that as a result of the constructive fashion in which our cooperation with UNTAET has proceeded, an Indonesian Representative Office to UNTAET has been established in Dill while an UNTAET Liaison Office has been set up in Kupang, West Timor in addition to the UNTAET Office in Jakarta.

We have held discussions with UNTAET on the question of East Timorese students in Indonesian institutions of higher learning and East Timorese who were Indonesian civil servants. Consequently, there is today greater mutual understanding by both sides of their constraints and concerns on these issues.

The issues of archives and cultural artifacts have also been discussed. Indonesian and UNTAET focal points have been appointed to facilitate discussion on these issues. On the question of assets and claims, Indonesia and UNTAET have reaffirmed that these should be settled through dialogue, cooperation and the establishment of principles and modalities.

As to the question of the border, cooperation between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and peace keeping elements of UNTAET has been instrumental in promoting stability in the border area. UNTAET and Indonesian representatives are planning for the establishment of a Joint Border Committee that would serve as a forum for the discussion of border issues.

In addition, as a follow up to the Joint Communique signed during President Abdurrahman Wahid's visit to Dili, the government of Indonesia and UNTAET on April 5 concluded a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Cooperation on Legal, Judicial and Human Rights-Related Matters.

Indonesia fervently wishes to see the expeditious development of East Timor. Since our capability to contribute is limited by constraints of resources, our focus today is on policies that are helpful to East Timor's development.

That is why it is a matter of the highest priority to us that the many issues arising from the transfer of authority are resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned. Work on these issues has not been much publicized but there is no doubt that their early resolution is important to the future development of East Timor. My government will therefore exert its utmost to reach arrangements that are most beneficial to East Timor, subject to existing Indonesian laws and regulations.

Over the long term and in anticipation of a post-UNTAET East Timor, Indonesia seeks the establishment of durable, wideranging and mutually beneficial links with East Timor.

The promotion of trade and investment as well as cooperation in the socio-cultural field will be central to this effort. Equally important is the creation of conditions conducive to the interaction of the people of East Timor and the people of the neighboring Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara (West Timor). For the legal and political separation of East Timor from Indonesia cannot erase the reality of centuries-old societal and family links between the people of East Timor and East Nusa Tenggara (West Timor). Such links must be nurtured and made to flourish.

In the regional context, Indonesian foreign policy will be guided by the geographic reality of East Timor's place in Southeast Asia. Indonesia will endeavor to ensure that this reality is reflected in the workings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in accordance, of course, with the Association's established procedures.

In the wider global context, East Timor will find in Indonesia a close partner in espousing the concerns of developing countries. This advocacy for the developing world has always characterized Indonesian foreign policy.

Just as important as any of these concerns is Indonesia's desire to see genuine reconciliation take root in East Timor. This is a concern that we share with many others but it is especially poignant to us because in the past, Indonesia bore the brunt of adverse events in East Timor.

This is a concern that must be shared particularly by those who, in the past, professed support for and sympathy with the people of East Timor. In this connection, the Indonesian government urges the United Nations to initiate, as a matter of priority, a genuine and inclusive process of reconciliation among East Timorese of all political persuasions.

This, we believe, is a prerequisite for a stable, democratic and prosperous East Timor. Indonesia will spare no effort in supporting the United Nations in such an essential endeavor.