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.