Xanana to receive full military honors on arrival
I Wayan Juniartha and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja The Jakarta Post Denpasar
Xanana Gusmao, once a political prisoner of the Indonesian government, is slated to receive a full military welcome as East Timor President in Jakarta today.
Merdeka Palace has been set since Monday for the state ceremony and the canons are ready to provide a 21-gun salute upon the arrival of Xanana as the state guest of Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The palace is also laying on a state banquet for him and his entourage, who are on a five-day visit which began in Bali on Monday.
The possibility of such a state reception must never have entered his mind as he spent seven long years languishing in the Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta from 1992 for leading the separatist movement in East Timor.
The former province finally got its independence in 1999 after the UN-sponsored ballot that was won by the pro-independence group and Xanana was elected as president last month.
Despite the treatment that he and East Timor suffered for 23 years under Indonesia, Xanana has repeatedly said that Indonesia was the most important neighbor for East Timor.
Indonesia is the second country that he has visited as president after Australia. It should have been the first but for the fact that Megawati was too busy preparing for her European visit last month to meet him.
Xanana was greeted by Bali Governor Dewa Beratha, Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Willem T. da Costa and Bali Police chief Brig. Gen. Budi Setyawan.
Upon arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Xanana said he believed Indonesia could offer a lot of help to the newly established country, especially in trade and industry.
He further said that enhancing bilateral relations in the economic, political and security fields would be on the agenda for talks with Megawati on Tuesday, when a communique on the establishment of a joint forum to discuss residual issues after separation would also be signed.
During the visit, Xanana is being accompanied by his wife Kirsty Sword, his son Alexandre Sword Gusmao and five ministers -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Ramos Horta, Minister of Trade and Industry Arlindo Rengel, Minister of Health Roi Maria Araujo, Minister of Education Armindo Maya and Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Ovidio de Jesus Amaral.
Xanana stayed in a five-star hotel in Kuta before heading for Jakarta early Tuesday morning.
In Jakarta, he is slated to hold meetings with Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung.