INDONESIA: JOSE RAMOS HORTA EAST TIMOR PRESS CONFERENCE

(4 Jul 1999) English/Nat

East Timorese independence campaigner Jose Ramos Horta says he is satisfied with the guarantees given by the Indonesian government that it will ensure a secure environment in the run up to the independence referendum for the former Portuguese colony.

Ramos Horta was speaking after he and East Timorese rebel leader, Jose Alexander "Xanana" Gusmao held a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas.

Preparations for the vote have been marred by violence between rival factions in East Timor.

The two East Timorese independence leaders met with the man who was once among their bitterest foes to discuss plans for a peaceful lead-up to next month's historic vote.

The greatest threat to the referendum now comes from a spate of violence from rival factions in East Timor.

The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), which is supervising the vote, has blamed pro-integration militias for the bulk of the violence, accusing the Indonesian military of colluding with them to try and disrupt the vote.

Pro-independence and pro-integrationist militias signed a peace deal earlier in June, promising an end to the violence, but tensions still remain.

The United Nations had scheduled the ballot for August 8 but postponed it for two weeks because of security fears and logistical problems.

Emerging from the meeting Horta said that the Pro-independence delegation accepted the Indonesian government's commitment to ensure security in the run-up to a referendum in August.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are satisfied with assurances given by the minister that Indonesian government authorities on the whole will do their utmost to have a free and democratic, secure environment in the next few weeks so that the vote can take place"
SUPER CAPTION: Jose Ramos Horta, Nobel laureate and East Timorese independence campaigner

The leaders also discussed the possibility of an early release for Gusmao, currently serving a 20-year sentence under house arrest in Jakarta, allowing him to return to East Timor ahead of the vote.

The Indonesian government has promised to release Gusmao as part of the referendum deal, but so far has indicated it would not allow him to visit East Timor prior to the vote.

Horta, however, argued that Gusmao's presence could be beneficial in the effort to secure peace in the troubled territory.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"They all know our president now and they know that his presence there would be a very moderative influence on the emotions there and he would do very well working with everybody so that the climate towards the vote is one of calm and particularly the situation post vote will be also calm and he's the one who can contribute to that."
SUPER CAPTION: Jose Ramos Horta, Nobel laureate and East Timorese independence campaigner

Alatas confirmed the date of Gusmao's possible release was still being considered but rejected the notion that he could be a calming influence between rival factions.

He warned that everyone would have to realistic about the difficulties of containing violence between rival factions committed to different outcomes for the vote.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"But that doesn't mean that the other side would accept it. There will be demonstrations and counter demonstrations. That of course is I think inevitable consequence and on that score I would not be so very sure that one could stop the demonstrations and counter demonstrations don't you think."
SUPER CAPTION: Ali Alatas, Indonesian Foreign Minister


SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Ali Alatas, Indonesian Foreign Minister


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