Postponement of Gusmao's visit affects diplomacy

Postponement of Gusmao's visit affects diplomacy

Kurniawan Hari and
Annastashya Emmanuelle
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Jakarta's decision to postpone the planned visit of East Timor
President Xanana Gusmao has indicated that there are still many
narrow-minded Indonesian leaders who cannot accept the secession
of the former 27th province.

Analyst on international affairs Soedjati Djiwandono said the
move could affect the country's image in international diplomacy.

"I think it does not benefit our diplomacy," Soedjati told The
Jakarta Post last night, adding that the move was a reflection of
the narrow-mindedness of many leaders.

Legislator Djoko Susilo of House Commission I for foreign
affairs thought the delay had been caused due to the lack of a
blueprint on the part of the government concerning Indonesia-East
Timor relations.

The postponement was announced on Tuesday by foreign ministry
spokesman Marty Natalegawa, who said that Jakarta needed more
time to make preparations and would seek a more suitable time.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received notification from
East Timor on May 22 -- only two days after Dili's independence
celebration -- of the request for an official visit of Gusmao to
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Gusmao was slated to arrive in Jakarta on Wednesday, May 29,
for a two-day visit.

Soedjati said the request was a sign of good will from Gusmao
to create neighborly relations.

Instead of considering the new state as an "enemy", Indonesia
should cooperate with the UN, Portugal and Australia to help East
Timor, he said.

"I think the international community will link it (the
postponement) to many objections in the past to Megawati's visit
to East Timor," Soedjati added.

Soedjati suggested that the postponement had been made in
response to domestic pressure.

Separately, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda
insisted that the postponement was due to scheduling
technicalities and was not linked to House members signing a
petition to summon Megawati over her East Timor visit.

"We appreciate president Xanana Gusmao's intention to
prioritize his visit to Indonesia, but this (the postponement) is
purely a matter of scheduling," Hassan told reporters.

Indonesia envisaged the possibility of rearranging Gusmao's
visit after President Megawati had returned from her trip to
Europe later this month, he said.

East Timor officially gained independence on the eve of May 20
at a modest ceremony led by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Gusmao was sworn in as the president of a nation that has a
population of about 750,000 people.

At a hearing with House Commission 1, Hassan said that the
country would build good relations with the new state of East
Timor.

He emphasized that relations with East Timor would be put
within a regional context, therefore involving the West and
Southwest Pacific countries.