DATE=4/23/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248542
TITLE=U-N / TIMOR AGREEMENT (L) -- UPDATE
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PORTUGAL AND INDONESIA SAY (FRIDAY) THEY HAVE REACHED
AGREEMENT ON AN AUTONOMY PLAN FOR EAST TIMOR. THE AGREEMENT
FOLLOWS A ROUND OF UNITED NATIONS-SPONSORED TALKS IN NEW YORK.
V-O-A'S U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS.
TEXT: DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE NOT BEING RELEASED UNTIL IT
IS FORMALLY SIGNED ON MAY FIFTH. U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI
ANNAN SAYS THE DELAY IN SIGNING IS NEEDED TO ALLOW INDONESIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER ALI ALATAS TIME TO CONSULT WITH HIS GOVERNMENT
ON TWO DOCUMENTS IN THE AGREEMENT. THOSE DOCUMENTS CONCERN
SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS AND A WAY TO DETERMINE THE FEELINGS OF EAST
TIMOR'S 800-THOUSAND RESIDENTS ON THE AUTONOMY PROPOSAL.
/// ANNAN ACT ///
FOREIGN MINISTER ALATAS HAS INDICATED THAT WHILE HIS
SIDE HAS NO SUBSTANTIVE DIFFICULTY WITH EITHER DOCUMENT,
HE WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN THE APPROVAL OF HIS AUTHORITIES
BEFORE HE CAN SIGN THEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONCLUDING
THIS HISTORIC PROCESS ON FIVE MAY THIS YEAR.
/// END ACT ///
DIPLOMATS SAY THE AGREEMENT CALLS FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH EAST
TIMOR'S POPULATION ON THE QUESTION OF AUTONOMY BEFORE THE END OF
AUGUST THIS YEAR. ALL PARTIES HAVE AGREED TO A UNITED NATIONS
PRESENCE, BUT INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALATAS HAS RULED OUT A
U-N PEACEKEEPING FORCE.
EAST TIMOR IS A FORMER PORTUGUESE COLONY. IT WAS INVADED BY
INDONESIA IN 1975 AND HAS EXPERIENCED REGULAR CLASHES SINCE THEN
BETWEEN PRO-INDEPENDENCE ACTIVISTS AND THE INDONESIAN MILITARY.
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER JAIME GAMA
STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENDING THE MOST RECENT VIOLENCE IN
EAST TIMOR -- SOMETHING PORTUGUESE OFFICIALS HAVE BLAMED ON
INDONESIA. THEY SAY THE INDONESIAN MILITARY HAS ENCOURAGED
PRO-INDONESIA MILITIAS IN THE TERRITORY TO USE VIOLENCE.
/// GAMA ACT ///
IT IS FOR US ON THE PORTUGUESE SIDE VERY IMPORTANT THAT
THESE STEPS CAN LEAD TO A SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM OF
EAST TIMOR, A LASTING ONE, IN WHICH PEACE CAN BE
RESTORED THERE IN ORDER TO ALLOW A CONSULTATION ON THE
FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY.
/// END ACT ///
INDONESIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MR. ALATAS, REJECTED THE PREMISE
THAT PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENCE. HE
SAID IT IS CLEARLY A CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO ARMED PARTIES, AND
INDONESIA IS WILLING TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO STOP THE VIOLENCE.
/// ALATAS ACT ///
IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF ONLY DISARMING THE SO-CALLED
MILITIA. THIS IS CONFUSING THE ISSUE. IT IS DISARMING
BOTH SIDES, AND THIS IS THE NEXT STEP OF COURSE, BECAUSE
DISARMING MEANS ALSO THAT THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE
MOUNTAINS SHOULD ALSO BE DISARMED, OTHERWISE THE GROUPS
WHO ARE NOW FIGHTING AGAINST THEM, WHICH IS THE
PRO-INTEGRATIONISTS, WILL NEVER SURRENDER THEIR ARMS.
IT IS A MUCH MORE COMPLEX PROBLEM.
/// END ACT ///
ONE OF EAST TIMOR'S PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEADERS, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
WINNER JOSE RAMOS-HORTA WELCOMED THE U-N-MEDIATED AGREEMENT. BUT
HE IS SKEPTICAL OF INDONESIA'S PLEDGES TO ALLOW A FAIR POLL IN
THE TERRITORY. HE EXPECTS JAKARTA TO TRY -- IN HIS WORDS -- TO
"DILUTE" THE AGREEMENT AND POSSIBLY RESORT TO VIOLENCE AND
INTIMIDATION TO PREVENT A FAIR CONSULTATION OF EAST TIMOR'S
RESIDENTS.
MR. RAMOS-HORTA SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT ANY VOTE ON AUTONOMY FOR
EAST TIMOR WILL BE OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED, DEMONSTRATING THE
NEED TO MOVE AHEAD QUICKLY TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE.
U-N OFFICIALS SAY THEY EXPECT FURTHER VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY
AS THE CONSULTATION PROCESS MOVES FORWARD. BUT THEY DO NOT SEE
THAT VIOLENCE AS A REASON TO POSTPONE OR ALTER PLANS NOW UNDERWAY
TO OFFER THE TERRITORY AUTONOMY. (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/JO
23-Apr-99 5:32 PM EDT (2132 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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