Subject: AP: E. Timor Autonomy To Be Discussed
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>FEBRUARY 06, 04:46 EST E. Timor
Autonomy To Be Discussed
By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Indonesian and Portuguese diplomats have wrapped up
preliminary negotiations on an autonomy agreement for East Timor, but left key questions
open ahead of weekend talks at the United Nations, a U.N. envoy said.
Jamsheed Marker, who was appointed 22 months ago to break the long-standing deadlock
over the former Portuguese colony, said ``major points'' still need to be settled when the
foreign ministers of Portugal and Indonesia meet in New York on U.N.-sponsored talks
Sunday and Monday.
``This document in many ways can stand by itself and could form a very useful basis for
a constitution for East Timor whatever form that might take,'' Marker said. ``We've got
the essentials there and have gone into great detail including electoral processes,
judicial systems, citizenship.''
Senior diplomats from both countries had been trying to wrap up the framework of an
autonomy agreement when Indonesia last week offered to consider independence for East
Timor if a majority of its people reject autonomy.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama and
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas to New York to discuss Indonesia's surprise offer.
Indonesia, which invaded East Timor in 1975, has ruled out a referendum, saying it
could lead to civil war. The Portuguese and Annan say any agreement must be approved by
the East Timorese people.
``The question now is just to find out how we are going to consult the people of East
Timor,'' said Joao Carrascalao, president of the Union of Democratic Timorese and a member
of the National Council of Timorese Resistance.
He said that to avoid bloodshed, his council wouldn't insist on immediate independence.
It wants the United Nations to send observers to East Timor, followed by a U.N.
peacekeeping force.
``We need some kind of transition period to prepare East Timor for independence,'' said
Constancio Pinto, acting U.N. representative of the National Council.
Pinto said a transition period from one to five years was needed; Carrascalao said the
transition should be three to five years. Both activists said a referendum is crucial.
By the end of Monday's talks, Carrascalao said, the resistance groups expect the
abandonment of the autonomy plan and negotiations on a timetable for East Timor's
independence.
In Indonesia, Col. Tono Suratman, the military chief in East Timor, said today that
Indonesian security forces in the territory had recruited 1,000 men to help maintain
order. The announcement was likely to fuel accusations that Indonesia is arming East
Timorese who oppose independence.
He said the recruits would not be trained to fight pro-independence groups but would
instead serve as security guards to help law enforcement officials. He did not say whether
they would be armed.
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