UN envoy puts East Timor visit on hold

JAKARTA (JP): United Nations special envoy for East Timor Jamsheed Marker met President B.J. Habibie yesterday and said his plan to visit the troubled province still hung in the balance.

Marker, a special representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, said after the meeting that the President's commitment to resolve the East Timor problem was "very encouraging".

Marker said he believed that Habibie's new initiatives to reach a solution to the dispute would lead to a breakthrough in the 22-year-old problem.

"I do want to say that I was really encouraged not only by the attitude of the President but also by the determination which he has shown toward working for a peaceful solution for East Timor," Marker said after meeting with Habibie along with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas at the Bina Graha presidential office yesterday morning.

Marker arrived here Thursday for a shuttle diplomacy visit as a part of Annan's efforts to facilitate an internationally acceptable solution to the sovereignty of the former Portuguese colony.

As a follow-up of their first meeting in London last April, Habibie conveyed a new proposal to Annan last month where he offered to give special autonomous status to the country's 27th province.

He also pledged to withdraw troops from the youngest province which was integrated as a part of Indonesia in 1976.

The UN, however, has not recognized the integration and in 1983 first sponsored talks between Portugal and Indonesia to find an internationally acceptable solution.

"The President again gave further details of the proposal that he has made," Marker said without elaborating on the details of his conversation with Habibie.

Marker pointed out that he came here as a part of the UN's efforts to facilitate a negotiation between Indonesia and Portugal, especially since Alatas is to meet his Portuguese counterpart at the end of this month.

"The UN is not in a position to impose any solution. We can only suggest certain measures, and our suggestions are based on discussions and conversations that we have with all the involved parties," Marker said.

Marker refused to say whether he still wanted to go to Dili despite the government's and Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo's advice to cancel the visit due to tension there.

"I am in the process of discussing the modality of the visit to East Timor, taking into account the view expressed by foreign minister, the present situation, the view expressed by Bishop Belo, so I am not yet in a position to indicate finally what is the best thing to do," he remarked.

Alatas said he suggested Marker drop his plan as the visit could trigger new violence involving pro- and anti-integration activists.

"Every time there is a visit by a foreign leader who plays a decisive role or is important in the process of mutual convincing, they will hold demonstrations, both pro- and anti- integration activists," Alatas remarked.

Antara reported that the situation in Dili remained quiet yesterday as people preferred to stay at homes. The province celebrated its 22nd anniversary of integration to Indonesia Friday without incident as initially feared.

About 300 students held a peaceful protest at East Timor University to demand a referendum. Police watched but did not try to disperse the demonstration. (prb)