Portugal and Indonesia renew East Timor talks
Portugal and Indonesia renew East Timor talks
GENEVA (Reuter): Portugal and Indonesia resumed talks about
East Timor yesterday but Portuguese Foreign Minister Jose Manuel
Durao Barroso said the two countries were still "in completely
opposite positions" over the territory's future.
Barroso told reporters before meetings with Indonesia's
Foreign Minister Ali Alatas and United Nations Secretary-General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali that he expected fresh proposals from the
U.N. chief to kick-start the dialogue.
But he expressed frustration at the lack of results from four
previous meetings with Alatas and pointedly reminded Indonesia of
East Timorese protests in Dili, capital of the territory, and in
Jakarta.
Earlier yesterday, East Timorese youths staged a pro-
independence protest around the university campus in Dili.
"The latest incidents in Dili and also in Jakarta should make
the government of Indonesia aware that some progress should be
made as soon as possible," Barroso told reporters.
He added: "We are waiting for some proposals from the
secretary-general, some proposals to bring some progress on this
issue. It is the fifth time we meet with the secretary-general so
I think that it's about time that we find something concrete to
show the international community and the Timorese."
The dialogue began in 1983, broke off in 1991 and was
reactivated in late 1992 under the eye of Boutros-Ghali. Since
then the foreign ministers have concentrated on "confidence-
building measures" designed to lessen tension in East Timor.
Asked whether the question of East Timorese self-determination
-- demanded by Lisbon but long rejected by Indonesia -- was still
on the agenda, Barroso said that was the "substance of the
matter".
"This is very difficult because we are in completely opposite
positions," he added.
"But we think that apart from that difference, we have some
room to find some solution, at least some transitional solution
and we are ready to work with the government of Indonesia to try
and find that solution and, of course, according to international
law and the basic human right of self-determination."
Alatas told reporters the talks were "not about politics" but
on ways to increase cooperation between Lisbon and Jakarta.
At their last meeting, in May 1994, the ministers agreed to
start talks with the opposing factions within East Timor and to
institute a variety of confidence-building measures.
That dialog has not yet begun in earnest. But a U.N.
spokeswoman said the ministers would issue a joint declaration
after yesterday's talks and Boutros-Ghali hoped that "all-
inclusive intra-Timorese dialog" would soon begin.
She declined to comment on whether Boutros-Ghali would present
any new proposals.