Subject: JP: AIETD to start
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 07:48:54 -0500
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Intra-Timorese talks to begin
in Austria 30th October 'Jawa Pos' , Surabaya
"AIETD to discuss East Timor political status" , 28th October
Dili: The All-Inclusive Intra-East Timorese Dialogue (AIETD), the
internal reconciliation forum for East Timorese, will discuss the political status of that
area. The dialogue is scheduled to be held from 30th October to 3rd November in Krumbach,
Austria. The discussions will be unusual, in that talks held in that forum to date have
been dominated by East Timorese economic and cultural issues.
"I am certain that East Timor's political status will be discussed, as regards
either regional autonomy or a referendum. Of course, there is no guarantee that we will
achieve an agreement at the AIETD meeting," said a participant from East Timor, Drs
Armindo Maia. "At the very least, we will discuss the substance of the broad autonomy
proposed by the UN for East Timor" , he added.
Armindo declared his personal support for the negotiations held by Indonesia, Portugal,
and the UN to settle the East Timor issue. But the last word must be accorded to the East
Timorese themselves. Responding to a threat of an AIETD boycott by a group of East
Timorese youth, Armindo said, "I don't think that would be appropriate. The AIETD is
the only forum organised by the UN which brings together East Timorese from diverse
political backgrounds. If we waste this opportunity, what will be left?" he said.
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