Muladi spoke 'too soon' on changing East Timor vote date
Muladi spoke 'too soon' on changing East Timor vote date
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas insisted
on Monday that Minister of Justice Muladi spoke prematurely when
he said on Friday that the government had moved forward by a day
the direct vote in East Timor.
Alatas said the change to Aug. 7 was merely a government
proposal which still needed approval from the United Nations and
the Portuguese government.
He acknowledged the international community was "rightly"
angered by Muladi's announcement but hoped "this has not made it
difficult".
"We have made this proposal to the UN and Portugal.
Unfortunately Pak Muladi made a premature announcement," Alatas
said during a news conference at his office.
On the voting agenda itself, Ali stated that before the vote-
registration day, set for June 13, UN secretary-general Kofi
Annan was required to produce a UN assessment report on whether
security conditions in East Timor were conducive to the holding
of the ballot.
Muladi, who is also minister/state secretary, downplayed his
statement after meeting with President B.J. Habibie at Merdeka
Palace on Monday.
"Even stupid person must know that it is impossible for us to
unilaterally decide (on the change), but it must be conducted
through negotiation," he said.
Muladi believed the proposed change was unlikely to face any
objection because it was merely aimed at respecting residents of
the predominantly Catholic province by changing the vote from
Aug. 8, which is a Sunday.
"I think there is no problem," Muladi said.
At the news conference, Alatas also said that 600 members of a
UN Assessment Team for East Timor (UNAMET), headed by Ian Martin,
would arrive in East Timor by mid-June.
The UN personnel will include 400 electoral officials in
charge of overall preparations for the ballot, at least 15
political advisors, UN security guards for the internal security
of UN personnel and the international civilian police who will
act as advisors to the Indonesian police during the ballot.
Martin, who has similar experiences in Rwanda and Haiti, is
scheduled to arrive in the capital on May 27 and will proceed to
Dili on May 29.
"The mission will stay a short while after the balloting,"
Alatas said without elaboration.
Alatas added that 200 registration centers would be set up
across the province and 700 polling booths would operate within
the centers on the day of the vote.
According to him, the UN, Indonesia and Portugal will decide
later whether the UN police would be allowed to carry light arms
in East Timor for self-protection.
Alatas also said the government rejected the plan of Dili
Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo and Baucau Bishop Basilio do
Nascimento to organize a meeting between proindependence and pro-
Jakarta groups in Australia, saying the meeting must be held in
Indonesia.
The minister criticized the bishops' plan to invite
foreigners, like Australian leaders and bishops, to attend the
meeting.
"It includes the Australian prime minister, Australia's
minister for foreign affairs, bishops from the Philippines and
Portugal... why them? This is an internal affair, is it not?"
the minister said.
He said the dialog was a good idea as long as it was held on
"Indonesian soil".
"Regretfully the government disagrees with the terms,
especially of the venue taking place in Australia," he said.
(ylt/prb)