Portugal, Indonesia meet for 'talks about talks'

Portugal, Indonesia meet for 'talks about talks'

UNITED NATIONS (AFP): Portuguese and Indonesian foreign ministers met here Thursday for the first time in a year for talks focusing on a political solution for Indonesian-annexed East Timor.

The two-day meeting under UN auspices is the first since East Timor was thrust into the international limelight in December when resistance leader Jose Ramos Horta and East Timorese Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo jointly won the Nobel peace prize.

But diplomats said no breakthrough was expected at the "talks about talks" here which could lead to a more intensive dialogue, possibly early as next month, involving senior officials of both countries.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama told reporters after a first round of talks that progress could be made "if the Indonesian side moves up from the rigid approach it has kept up to now."

"We want to cooperate to have a clear improvement in human rights standards" in Indonesia, Gama added.

In a sign that the United Nations remains engaged in finding a political solution for the former Portuguese territory annexed by Indonesia more than 20 years ago, UN chief Kofi Annan chaired the first session on Thursday morning.

The talks involve Gama, Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas and Annan's special representative Jamsheed Marker, a Pakistani diplomat.

Annan decided to reconvene the tripartite talks after eight rounds under his predecessor Boutros Boutros-Ghali between 1992 and June 1996 led nowhere.

A senior UN official said that Annan was prepared to be "proactive" but wanted to hear from both ministers before putting up ideas. He held a short meeting with each minister on Thursday and hosted lunch.

East Timor integrated into Indonesia in 1976. The United Nations still recognizes Portugal as the territory's administrator.

The UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions calling for the territory's right to self-determination.

Ramos Horta is calling on Indonesia to take immediate steps including a reduction to 1,000 of the number of soldiers in East Timor, the release of prisoners and an end to torture.

The UN official said that both sides were showing a "definite willingness not only to talk but to show flexibility."

Portugal is pressing for the tripartite talks to open up to embrace Timorese representatives. A total 30 groups are represented in the so-called intra-Timorese dialogue which has met in Austria.

The senior UN official said that this could be an option depending on the outcome of the current talks.