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DATE=4/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248398
TITLE=HABIBIE/ E. TIMOR (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  INDONESIA'S PRESIDENT SAYS HE WILL STICK TO HIS OFFER TO 
GIVE EAST TIMOR EITHER AUTONOMY OR INDEPENDENCE.  PRESIDENT B-J 
HABIBIE SAYS HE WANTS INDONESIA AND EAST TIMOR TO LIVE AS 
NEIGHBORS.  CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST 
ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.
TEXT:  IN COMMENTS PUBLISHED IN AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS WEDNESDAY, 
PRESIDENT B-J HABIBIE SAYS IF THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR CHOOSE TO 
SEPARATE FROM INDONESIA, THEN HIS GOVERNMENT WILL DO EVERYTHING 
IT CAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.  MR. HABIBIE IS QUOTED AS TELLING A 
GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EDITORS IN JAKARTA THAT INDONESIA IS PREPARED
TO RELINQUISH EAST TIMOR IN PEACE, IN HONOR, AND AS FRIENDS.
HE ALSO SAID HE HAS PROPOSED THAT A FIVE-NATION GROUP CONSISTING 
OF THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, THE PHILIPPINES, GERMANY, AND 
AUSTRALIA SHOULD COORDINATE THE PREPARATIONS FOR JULY'S SCHEDULED
U-N-SUPERVISED EAST TIMOR AUTONOMY VOTE.
INDONESIA INVADED EAST TIMOR AND ANNEXED THE FORMER PORTUGUESE 
COLONY THE NEXT YEAR, A MOVE NEVER RECOGNIZED BY THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.  IN A AN ABRUPT ABOUT-FACE LAST YEAR, 
INDONESIA SAID IT WOULD ALLOW EAST TIMOR TO BECOME INDEPENDENT IF
IT REJECTED THE OFFER OF AUTONOMY.  DETAILS OF THE AUTONOMY 
PROPOSAL ARE TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS WEEK.
HOWEVER, THE PROSPECTS FOR EAST TIMOR HAVE BECOME CLOUDED BY 
ESCALATING VIOLENCE BETWEEN PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS AND 
PRO-INDEPENDENCE GROUPS.  THE INDEPENDENCE GROUPS ACCUSE THE 
INDONESIAN MILITARY OF TRYING TO DERAIL THE PROPOSAL BY TRAINING 
AND ARMING THE MILITIAS.  AT LEAST SOME SECTORS OF THE INDONESIAN
ARMED FORCES ARE BELIEVED TO BE OPPOSED TO RELINQUISHING EAST 
TIMOR.
MR. HABIBIE SAYS HE HAS NO PROBLEM WITH INDONESIA'S MILITARY 
PROFESSIONALS, BUT ADDS THAT RETIRED MILITARY MEN AND SOME 
POLITICIANS ARE A PROBLEM.
A PEACE DEAL WAS SIGNED WEDNESDAY BETWEEN THE OPPOSING FORCES, 
BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE MILITIAMEN ARE PREPARED TO GIVE UP 
THEIR WEAPONS.
MR. HABIBIE TOLD THE AUSTRALIAN EDITORS THAT HE WANTS THE 
PRO-JAKARTA FORCES TO STOP FIGHTING, LAY DOWN THEIR WEAPONS, AND 
WORK FOR EAST TIMOR'S SELF-DETERMINATION.  BUT HE ADDS THAT IT 
IS, AS HE PUT IT, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ARMED FORCES CHIEF 
GENERAL WIRANTO TO DISARM THE MILITIAS.
MR. HABIBIE IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JOHN 
HOWARD TO DISCUSS THE EAST TIMOR ISSUE NEXT WEEK ON THE 
INDONESIAN RESORT ISLAND OF BALI.   (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC/RAE
21-Apr-99 8:28 AM EDT (1228 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.