RI should forget assets and help East Timor

RI should forget assets and help East Timor

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao arriving on Monday
for a five-day visit, Jakarta should drop demands that East Timor
compensate it for Indonesian assets in the territory, and instead
offer support for the new country.

Political analyst Soedjati Djiwandono said dropping the issue
of assets would be a good start to building a positive
relationship with East Timor.

Besides, Indonesia cannot claim many assets in the territory,
he added.

"There is not much support that we can offer them, but at
least forget about those assets. Besides, there is not much that
we can claim," Soedjati told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He also pointed out that there was much Indonesia owed East
Timor, from the 23-year occupation of the territory and the
rampage by military-backed militias after the independence ballot
in August 1999.

Soedjati said Indonesia should focus on "positive" support for
the new country, such as establishing markets around the border
between the two countries and supporting the movement of people
between East Timor and Indonesia's West Timor.

Indonesian assets in East Timor is one of the most contentious
issues in the continuing talks between the two countries, as they
seek to resolve lingering disputes over their separation.

Jakarta has demanded that East Timor compensate it for the
assets, while East Timor has refused to do so.

In high-level talks during the visit of three Indonesian
ministers to Dili last month, the two sides agreed to establish a
joint forum that will serve as a meeting point for the two sides
to discuss residual issues such as refugees, a pension fund and
assets.

The finalization of the forum's establishment will be
discussed in Jakarta during Gusmao's visit.

The director of media relations at Indonesia's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Wahid Supriyadi, said Xanana would arrive in
Bali on Monday and was scheduled to fly to Jakarta on Tuesday
aboard a commercial flight.

Xanana is scheduled to have a 40-minute closed-door meeting
with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday
before a bilateral meeting.

"The two leaders will sign a joint communique, possibly on the
establishment of the joint forum, after the meeting," Wahid told
the Post.

Xanana is also scheduled to meet with Coordinating Minister
for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Xanana will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at
the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, and then meet with People's
Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and House of
Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

He will then fly to Makassar, South Sulawesi, to deliver the
keynote speech at a seminar on the prospects for economic
relations between eastern Indonesia and East Timor.

Xanana is scheduled to leave for Bali on Thursday evening
before flying back to Dili on Friday.