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DATE=6/30/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251273
TITLE=EAST TIMOR (L)
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PEACE TALKS BETWEEN EAST TIMOR'S WARRING FACTIONS HAVE 
COME TO AN END IN THE INDONESIAN CAPITAL, JAKARTA, WITH NO FIRM 
AGREEMENTS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE KEY ISSUE OF 
DISARMAMENT.  BUT AS PATRICIA NUNAN REPORTS FROM JAKARTA, THE 
PARTICIPANTS ARE STILL PROCLAIMING THE TALKS A SUCCESS FOR HAVING
BROUGHT EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL PRO-INDEPENDENCE AND PRO-INTEGRATION 
FACTIONS TOGETHER.
TEXT:  ORGANIZERS OF THE PEACE TALKS SAY EAST TIMOR'S "DEEP 
DIVISIONS" ARE THE REASON NEGOTIATIONS ENDED ON A "SUBDUED" NOTE.
THEY SAY THE ATMOSPHERE AROUND THE MEETING TABLE WAS GOOD, BUT 
THE TWO SIDES FAILED TO COME TO ANY REAL AGREEMENT.
LEADERS OF EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL PRO-INDEPENDENCE AND 
PRO-INTEGRATION FACTIONS HAVE DECIDED TO SIMPLY RESPECT 
AGREEMENTS THEY HAVE MADE IN THE PAST. THE TWO SIDES SAY THEY 
WILL ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF A UNITED NATIONS SUPERVISED AUTONOMY 
REFERENDUM TO BE HELD IN AUGUST. THEY ALSO SAY THEY WILL RESPECT 
AN AGREEMENT MADE EARLIER THIS MONTH TO DISARM. BUT DESPITE THE 
FIVE DAYS OF MEETINGS, THERE ARE STILL  NO  PLANS ON HOW TO CARRY
OUT DISARMAMENT.
UNITED NATIONS REPRESENTATIVE TAMRAT SAMUEL UNDERLINED THE NEED 
FOR THE TWO SIDES TO FIND SOME WAY TO DISARM. 
                       /// SAMUEL ACT ///
         THESE ARE TANGIBLE RESULTS THAT NOW NEED TO BE 
         TRANSLATED INTO ACTION ON THE GROUND IN A CONCRETE AND 
         VERIFIABLE MANNER, AND THAT WILL BE THE REAL TEST FOR 
         THE GOOD WILL AND THE DESIRE OF THE PARTIES.
                         /// END ACT ///
THE SO-CALLED "DARE II" PEACE TALKS ARE NAMED FOR THE EAST 
TIMORESE TOWN WHERE THE FIRST ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS, ORGANIZED BY
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR.  EAST TIMORESE 
SPIRITUAL LEADER BISHOP CARLOS BELO ORGANIZED THE PEACE TALKS 
AHEAD OF THE UNITED NATIONS AUTONOMY REFERENDUM.
THE EAST TIMORESE PEOPLE WILL BE ASKED TO CHOOSE WHETHER THE 
TERRITORY SHOULD REMAIN PART OF INDONESIA UNDER A WIDE-RANGING 
AUTONOMY PLAN.  IF THEY REJECT THAT PLAN, THE INDONESIAN 
GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL CONSIDER GRANTING EAST TIMOR FULL 
INDEPENDENCE.
THE VOTE IS INTENDED TO BRING AN END TO FIGHTING IN THE FORMER 
PORTUGUESE COLONY OF EAST TIMOR THAT BEGAN WHEN THE INDONESIAN 
MILITARY INVADED IN 1975.
EAST TIMORESE INDEPENDENCE LEADER JOSE RAMOS HORTA BROKE 24 YEARS
OF SELF-IMPOSED EXILE FROM EAST TIMOR AND INDONESIA TO COME TO 
THE NEGOTIATIONS.  EVEN THOUGH NO AGREEMENT WAS REACHED, HE SAYS 
THE TALKS WERE A SUCCESS FOR SIMPLY BRINGING EAST TIMOR'S 
OPPOSING FACTIONS TOGETHER.
                        /// HORTA ACT ///
         (YOU) CAN SAY IT IS (A) FAILURE BECAUSE YOU DON'T 
         PRODUCE SOME SUBSTANTIVE AGREEMENT. BUT THIS IS NOT THE 
         NATURE OF THIS MEETING.  THIS MEETING IS ESSENTIALLY 
         CONFIDENCE BUILDING AMONG PEOPLE.  IT'S A PROCESS. AND 
         IN THIS REGARD, IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS.
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. RAMOS HORTA SHARES THE 1996 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WITH BISHOP 
BELO FOR HIS WORK TO IMPROVE HUMAN RIGHTS IN EAST TIMOR. (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/LTD/KL
30-Jun-99 1:18 PM EDT (1718 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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