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DATE=4/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248645
TITLE=EAST TIMOR TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  
INTRO:  INDONESIAN PRESIDENT B-J HABIBIE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT A 
VOTE ON THE FUTURE STATUS OF EAST TIMOR WILL BE HELD ON  AUGUST 
EIGHTH. PATRICIA NUNAN REPORTS FROM JAKARTA , MR. HABIBIE MADE 
THE COMMENTS AFTER A MEETING WITH AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTER 
ABOUT THE CRISIS IN THE DISPUTED TERRITORY.
TEXT:  PRESIDENT B-J HABIBIE SAYS HOLDING THE VOTE ON EAST TIMOR 
'S STATUS IN EARLY AUGUST WILL ALLOW INDONESIA'S NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF THE BALLOT, WHEN IT CONVENES 
AT THE END OF THAT MONTH.  HE SAID JAKARTA WILL ACCEPT WHATEVER 
THE EAST TIMORESE VOTERS DECIDE, WHETHER IT IS INTEGRATION WITH 
INDONESIA OR SEPARATION. 
MR. HABIBIE ALSO PLEDGED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT OUTLINING HIS 
GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL FOR AUTONOMY FOR EAST TIMOR. THE AGREEMENT 
WAS REACHED IN TALKS AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK LAST WEEK,
AFTER MONTHS OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE INDONESIAN AND PORTUGUESE 
FOREIGN MINISTERS. 
IT IS THAT OFFER OF AUTONOMY THAT THE EAST TIMORESE WILL VOTE ON 
IN AUGUST. THE DEAL WOULD OFFER EAST TIMOR SOME SPECIAL RIGHTS 
WHILE FORMALLY INTEGRATING THE TERRITORY, AS A PROVINCE OF 
INDONESIA. IF THE EAST TIMORESE VOTERS REJECT IT, EAST TIMOR WILL
MOVE TOWARDS BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT NATION.
THE INDONESIAN PRESIDENT ALSO INVITED SIX FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO 
ASSIST THE UNITED NATIONS IN ORGANIZING THE POLL.  HE SAID THE 
UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN,  JAPAN, THE PHILIPPINES AND 
GERMANY SHOULD HELP COORDINATE THE VOTING,  IN THE FORMER 
PORTUGUESE COLONY OF 800-THOUSAND PEOPLE. 
MR. HABIBIE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER TALKS ON THE INDONESIAN 
ISLAND OF BALI, WITH AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD. THE 
AUSTRALIAN LEADER SAID HIS COUNTRY WILL PROVIDE 13 MILLION 
DOLLARS TOWARDS SETTING UP WHAT HE TERMED A "CIVILIAN POLICE 
PRESENCE" IN EAST TIMOR, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED 
NATIONS.
THE TALKS WERE CALLED AFTER A SERIES OF VIOLENT CLASHES IN EAST 
TIMOR BETWEEN INDEPENDENCE SUPPORTERS AND GROUPS THAT FAVOR THE 
TERRITORY'S INTEGRATION WITH INDONESIA.  A LOW-INTENSITY CIVIL 
WAR HAS BEEN FOUGHT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES EVER SINCE THE 
INDONESIAN MILITARY INVADED  EAST TIMOR IN 1975.  (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/FC/PLM 
27-Apr-99 5:59 AM EDT (0959 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.