Support voiced for E. Timor reconciliation dialog

JAKARTA (JP): East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares expressed support on Monday for a reconciliation dialog planned by Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento for Sept. 10 and Sept. 11.

Abilio, as quoted by Antara in Dili on Monday, however apologized that he would not be able to attend the dialog, planned to help unify East Timorese, because he was scheduled to attend meetings in Jakarta and Bali. The dialog is scheduled to take place in Dare, some 10 kilometers south of Dili.

While receiving Belo and the chairman of the dialog's organizing committee, Fransisco Kalbuadi, Abilio said he expected participants to sit side by side "without shouting at one another".

Belo told the governor the church would not take sides, adding that the final statement to be made after the dialog would not contain any suggestions for a political solution to the East Timor question.

Contacted from Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara, Belo told The Jakarta Post that he hoped for the support of the military to reduce tension in the area. "We're giving all parties a chance to hold an open dialog to seek better steps (to peace)," he said.

A special representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was quoted in Dili on Monday as saying that he was visiting the territory to seek input for an autonomy concept being drafted by the international body. Antara quoted Francesc Vendrell as saying that he was meeting with various parties to ensure that the concept would be in accordance with the people's wishes here.

The news agency also quoted on Monday the chief of the local military resort in Dili, Col. Tono Suratmat, as saying: "All Armed Forces personnel, including the police,fully support the dialog so long as it is held for the good of the East Timorese."

Belo said the dialog would be attended by only 50 invited participants living in East Timor, representing various political and educational backgrounds.

Those living outside East Timor, in Jakarta for example, and the territory's separatists would not be invited, he said.

Belo stressed all parties would be represented, even members of the National Committee of Indonesian Youth, known to be close to the ruling Golkar party.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, the Armed Forces denied it had deployed more troops to East Timor, saying that any new personnel there were routine replacements.

Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif made the statement on Monday in response to reported plans by a non- governmental organization to announce the addition of additional troops in the province.

Antara quoted activist Bonar Tigor Naipospos, chairman of Solidamor, as saying he had information and photographs of the arrival of the new troops after a recent trip to the province. (yac/anr)