Timor reconciliation talks begin in Austrian castle

Timor reconciliation talks begin in Austrian castle

STADTSCHLAINING, Austria (Reuter): East Timorese leaders began
a historic meeting yesterday to try to reconcile differences that
have torn their people apart for the last 20 years.

The All-inclusive East Timor Dialog was held behind closed
doors at Stadtschlaining's imposing medieval castle, 140 km (90
miles) south of Vienna. The meeting is scheduled to last until
Tuesday.

Supervised by United Nations officers, the meeting involved 30
East Timorese leaders -- 16 representing those who support the
1976 integration of East Timor with Indonesia, and 14 who opposed
the integration and have been waging their campaign from exiles.

This is the first time that the leaders, many of whom were
involved in bloody civil wars in 1975-1976, in the wake of the
withdrawal of the Portuguese colonial administration, have met in
one forum.

The pro-Jakarta delegation is led by senior politician Lopes
da Cruz and includes East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio
Soares. Vocal Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo is in the
delegation although he has pronounced neutrality on the issue.
The anti-integration group includes Ramos Horta and Abilio
Araujo.

UN political affairs officer Tamrat Samuel told the 30
delegates that the meeting was not a negotiating forum and was
not intended to substitute ministerial talks between Indonesia
and Portugal under the auspices of the UN.

"For that reason it will not address the political status of
East Timor," he said as quoted by Reuters.

The meeting "is informal and aimed at facilitating an exchange
of pragmatic ideas between the two parties," a UN spokesman said.

The discussions are intended to defuse the atmosphere and
serve as the basis for progress in the peace process in the run
up to a July 8 meeting in Geneva between the foreign ministers
from Indonesia and Portugal, he said.

"The discussions will touch on everything with the exception
of the political status of the territory, which is the exclusive
preserve of Indonesia and Portugal," the spokesman said.

Bishop Belo said he hoped the meeting would bring the two
sides closer together. "I am optimistic. Why shouldn't we ask for
peace and reconciliation?" he told journalists.

Indonesian delegates also expressed the hope that the informal
talks could go some way to improving relations, particularly on
economic and cultural issues.

"It's quite an historic meeting. It's the first time all the
parties are meeting," Lopes said on Friday.

"If we can create a spirit of dialog we can try to go for
reconciliation. It will be successful if we can create a climate
of understanding."

The only complaint heard ahead of the meeting came from Horta
who was still insisting that the meeting discuss the political
future of East Timor.

Horta told Reuters that the talks could not possibly ignore
the political situation in East Timor.