Subject: ABC: Portugal blames Indonesia for delay in
East Timor vote
Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 11:19:53 -0400
From: "Sharon R.A. Scharfe" <pet@web.net>ABC (Australian Broadcasting
Corporation) Radio News
Wed, 28 Jul 1999 19:50 AEST
Portugal blames Indonesia for delay in East Timor vote
Portugal has blamed the Indonesian government for the delay in the historic vote on
East Timor's future, saying a lack of security had forced the United Nations to put it
off.
Portugese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama says the delay until August 30 was due to "a
certain lack of security conditions that have been felt by UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan."
"We have in principle no objection (to the delay). We hope that conditions are
finally created by Indonesia through the disarming of the militias in order not to have
any further delays in the process," Mr Gama said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said earlier that the balloting in East Timor
would take place on August 30.
The vote had initially been planned for August 8 and was then postponed until August 20
or 21 amid concerns over security and logistics in the troubled territory invaded by
Indonesia in 1975.
Mr Gama says sections of Indonesia's armed forces and the militias were responsible for
the delay.
© 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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