Moving toward a post-UN administered East Timor

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.