Portugal's TV plan in E. Timor to be checked

Portugal's TV plan in E. Timor to be checked

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said
yesterday that the government will look into press reports that
Portugal will broadcast television programs into East Timor.

Alatas said the broadcast plan is part of Lisbon's
psychological war to disseminate false information to the people
it colonized for about 450 years.

East Timor integrated with Indonesia in 1976 following the
abrupt withdrawal of the Portuguese colonial administrators,
which sparked a bloody civil war in the territory.

"I'm checking on the reports. It's unimportant whether the
news is true or not. What do they (Portugal) think they can do to
change the East Timorese people's minds?" he told journalists.

Portugal's plan to broadcast programming into East Timor by
satellite as of next month was picked up by the Expresso
newspaper of Portugal and quoted by Indonesian newspapers this
week. It is unclear whether Portugal means to aim the broadcast
specifically to East Timor or to other parts of the world as
well.

On Tuesday, Minister of Information Harmoko said he would
check if the broadcast is only a "spillover" from regional
satellite programming or specially designed for East Timor.

Harmoko, who is also chairman of the ruling Golkar party, said
that because Indonesia has an open-sky policy, it is impossible
to avoid or deep out television broadcasts from other parts of
the world.

Alatas is also of the opinion that there is not much
Indonesia can do to prevent Portugal from broadcasting its
television programs to East Timor.

"Even now, if you have a satellite dish you can watch their
programs. So there is nothing new really," he said. "And the
issue is too trivial to be considered a threat."

Alatas also announced yesterday he would lead a ministerial
delegation to Manila to attend the first Indonesia-Philippine
joint commission founded in 1993 following President Fidel Ramos'
visit to Indonesia.

The Indonesian and Philippine officials are scheduled to
discuss issues ranging from trade and economics to matters
concerning Indonesians residing in southern Philippines.

Alatas said it is possible that the growing conflict in the
South China Sea and the Moro issues will also be discussed at the
ministerial meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

Indonesia plays a mediatory role in the conflict between the
Philippine government and the Moro Moslems waging an armed
rebellion to establish an independent state.

Alatas met President Soeharto yesterday to discuss Malaysia's
invitation to the foreign minister and defense minister to attend
an Organization of Islamic Countries meeting, which is to include
countries with troops in Bosnia Herzegovina.

President Soeharto confirmed that Indonesia would attend the
meeting, scheduled to take place from 14 to 15 in Kuala Lumpur,
which is being held to coordinate a plan for action in the former
Yugoslavia, Alatas said. (pan)