Subject: UPDATE #4 - Resistance sceptical over
Jakarta announcement
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 13:32:18 -0000
From: "Paula Pinto" <paularoque@mail.telepac.pt> 8:35 pm (Jkat local
time)
Timorese resistance sceptical over Jakarta announcement
LISBON, Jan 27 (AFP) - A suggestion Wednesday that Indonesia might let go of the
troubled territory of East Timor "could advance things," Portuguese President
Jorge Sampaio said Wednesday, although the Timorese resistance here was sceptical.
Indonesian Information Minister Yunus Yosfiah said if the government's latest offer of
wide-ranging autonomy is rejected by the majority of the population in East Timor,
"we will suggest to the new membership of the People's Consultative Assembly formed
as the result of the next elections, to release East Timor from Indonesia."
Sampaio, in Brussels, told Portuguese Radio TSF that the statement was "not
negative in itself...It signifies there are very divergent opinions among Indonesians.
"This is positive and that will advance things, but it is still premature to talk
about it," he said, adding he was "very concerned about the difficult situation
on the ground" in East Timor.
Roque Rodrigues, Lisbon respresentative of the National Council of the Timorese
Resistance (CNRT), said he had reacted to the Yosfiah statement with "a strong dose
of scepticism."
He said prudence was needed because the Indonesians "say one thing and do
another...There is no confidence in the Indonesian government of (President) Jusuf
Habibie, as there was none in the preceding one of Suharto."
Sanana Suharto ordered the invasion of the former Portuguese colony in 1975.
Rodrigues conceded the "unprecedented position of Indonesia was a step forward,
but recalled that the Indonesian president had promised Bishop of Dili Mgr Ximenes Belo to
withdraw troops from East Timor, and had instead reinforced them.
©AFP 1999
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