Soeharto supports peace among East Timorese

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto is fully supportive of the current reconciliation drive to end an 18-year enmity between the East Timorese who supported the integration with Indonesia and those who have opposed it.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas yesterday told reporters that Soeharto is prepared to meet with the camp, represented by Abilio Araujo, as part of the reconciliation move.

Alatas told reporters that Abilio represents those East Timorese living in exile who appeared to accept the offer of reconciliation.

"He is already moving towards reconciliation. He is willing to talk about cooperation and peace, and not about the political questions. So this is moving towards a positive direction," he said, adding that the Abilio camp is growing all the time.

Abilio headed the delegation of East Timorese living in exile during a meeting with pro-integration East Timorese, led by senior East Timorese politician Lopez da Cruz, in London in October. It was Lopez who conveyed the message to Soeharto about Abilio's desire to come to Indonesia and to meet with the President.

The hard-line camp is represented by Ramos Horta, whom Alatas met in New York in October. "Ramos Horta is sticking to his position, insisting on a referendum, independent and freedom. He's dreaming," the minister said.

Alatas said there was no way that Soeharto would meet with Horta. "I think it was enough that I met him that one time."

The minister also said he hoped his next meeting, with his Portuguese counterpart to resolve the East Timor question through the United Nations in January, would move one stage closer towards exploring ways of finding a comprehensive settlement.

The meeting, to be held in Geneva on Jan. 9, will be the fourth between the two foreign ministers under the auspices of United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

Alatas said the last two meetings have concentrated on "confidence building measures."

"It is now possible that the Secretary General may want to move to a stage where we can explore a solution," he said.

Special envoy

Later on yesterday afternoon Alatas met with Boutros Ghali's special envoy, Frances Vendrell, who arrived here on a fact finding mission in preparation of the Geneva meeting.

"I had a very fruitful and frank exchange of views with the minister," Vendrell said after his meeting at the Foreign Ministry office.

"We talked about a series of ideas for the secretary general to consider in advance of the meeting," he explained.

However Vendrell stressed his visit here and to East Timor as a routine visit. "It's a routine visit, but of course we discussed issues of substance."

"It's natural for the representative of the secretary general to go to East Timor in advance of the ministerial talks," he remarked.

Vendrell is due to leave for Dili today and stay there until Saturday after which he is also due to go to Portugal.

Alatas revealed that he explained to Vendrell on the recent developments occurring such as the riots in Dili and the 29 East Timorese students occupying the United States embassy.

"I clarified to him the true situation of the recent events," Alatas said.

He further acknowledged that Vendrell had asked to meet with jailed guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao.

Alatas said that the request had been put forward to the appropriate authorities.(emb/mds)