UN envoy puts East Timor visit on hold
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)