Portugal pledges cooperation with Indonesia on East Timor

06/02/2000 Associated Press Newswires

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Portugal wants to cooperate with Indonesia on the future of East Timor , the Portuguese foreign minister said, attempting to ease long-standing rancor over the territory.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were cut in 1975 after Indonesia invaded East Timor , a former Portuguese colony that last year voted to break away from Indonesian rule.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama said after a 30-minute meeting with Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid that both men wanted "strong cooperation between Portugal and Indonesia" on East Timor .

Gama also said he had invited Wahid to visit Lisbon this year, and Wahid liked the idea.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab said after the meeting that Wahid wants to visit Portugal in September.

He said four agreements were signed, including one on investment protection and one aimed at boosting cultural and social exchanges.

For decades, Portugal accused Indonesia of massive human rights abuses in East Timor while Jakarta complained that Portugal had done nothing for the development of the territory during centuries of colonization.

Relations have improved since Indonesia relinquished control of the territory last year after East Timor overwhelmingly voted for independence in a U.N.-sponsored ballot.

The result of the vote triggered a bloody backlash of destruction by militia groups allegedly sponsored by Indonesia's military. Wahid has promised that Indonesia will prosecute those responsible for the violence.

Portugal has pledged reconstruction aid for East Timor and has a contingent of troops within the U.N. peacekeeping force there.

Portuguese foreign minister meets Indonesia's president

06/02/2000

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Aiming to break years of diplomatic ice over the East Timor crisis, Portugal's visiting foreign minister Jaime Gama met Indonesia's president Friday and invited him to visit Lisbon.

Gama held talks with President Abdurrahman Wahid for about 30 minutes at Jakarta's state palace.

"I discussed with the president the prospects of our bilateral relations, which we agreed were very good," he told reporters. "I also extended an invitation from Portugal's president to visit Portugal this year."

Gama said Wahid responded positively to the invitation.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Alwi Shihab said after the meeting that Wahid wants to visit Portugal in September.

He said four agreements had been signed between the two sides, including one on investment protection and one aimed at boosting cultural and social exchanges.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were cut in 1975 after Indonesia invaded East Timor , previously ruled by Portugal for almost 400 years.

Relations have steadily improved since Indonesia relinquished control of the territory last year after the East Timorese people overwhelmingly voted for independence in a U.N.-sponsored ballot.

The result of the vote triggered a bloody backlash of destruction by militia groups allegedly sponsored by Indonesia's military.

Wahid came to power in October two months after the referendum.

He has steadily whittled away at the power of Indonesia's military.

He's also promised the international community, including Portugal, that Indonesia will prosecute those responsible for the violence in the half-island territory, which is now under U.N. administration.

Portugal has pledged reconstruction aid for East Timor and has a contingent of troops within a U.N. peacekeeping force there.

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