[asia-apec 201] UN sponsored talks on East Timor

[sonny at nation.nationgroup.com]

New talks on future of East Timor to open in December
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LISBON, Friday, Oct 25, 1996, Agence France-Presse:

UN Secretary-General Boutros-Boutros Ghali is to sponsor talks in New York
in December on the future of East Timor annexed by Indonesia 20 years ago,
offficials said here Friday.

The island's long struggle for independence has been firmly thrust into
the international spotlight since two pro-independence activists were
awarded the 1996 Nobel peace prize earlier this month.

The December 21 talks will be between Indonesia's Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas and his Portuguese counterpart Jaime Gama. It will be the ninth
round of negotiations lanunced in New York in December 1992 which have so
far failed to make much progress. The only concrete result has been a
decision to set up an East Timorese cultural centre in the capital Dili
and an accord for Portuguese aid to Dili University.

So far Indonesia has refused pointblank a Portuguese proposal to open
interests sections representing both countries on the island. Gama has
also pressed for a Portuguese delegation to be authorised to visit
Indonesia to meet jailed resistance leader Xanana Gusmao who is serving a
20-year sentence imposed in 1992.