Subject: Pub: Portugal welcomes US call for
"more transparency"
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 12:40:30 -0500
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Portugal welcomes US call for
"more transparency" in East Timor 10 December 98
Publico
The presence of UN observers in East Timor and the opening up of the territory to
observation missions are now closer to becoming a reality. This is what the Portuguese
government believes, not hiding the satisfaction caused by the letter US Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright sent Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama.
In the letter, revealed two days ago, what was most significant for the Foreign
Ministry, in addition to the support for a troop reduction and the release of Xanana
Gusmao, was the USA's wish to see the situation in the territory become "more
transparent" . "We also agree that it should be in the interest of the
Indonesian government to make the situation in the territory more transparent," the
secretary of state wrote, expressing confidence in the efforts of UN diplomat Tamrat
Samuel, who has visited the territory.
With US backing, Portugal sees its proposal for permanent UN officials in East Timor
and for EU missions and others, strengthened. This is aimed at ensuring, concretely, that
what happens in East Timor is known so that there is no contradictory information, such as
in the recent massacre in Alas.
Although Madeleine Albright praised Indonesia's "flexible position" in the
negotiations, under UN auspices, the US position was clear with regard to the need for
greater concessions from the Indonesian authorities...
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