29-11-2002 13:25:00 GMT 10:25:00 Hora local. Notícia 4394290

Berlin, Nov. 29 (Lusa) - East Timor's foreign minister, Jose Ramos Horta, reacted angrily Friday to the latest round of acquittals by the Indonesian court trying human rights abuses committed in East Timor in 1999, describing one of them as "scandalous".

"It is scandalous and lends no credibility to the ad hoc court in Jakarta", Ramos Horta told Lusa in Berlin, referring to the acquittal of the former Indonesian military commander in Dili, Lieutenant- Colonel Endar Priyanto.

The officer was one of four Indonesian officials acquitted by Jakarta's human rights court earlier Friday.

Ramos Horta, who is on an official visit to Germany, also condemned the minimum 10 year sentence handed down by the court Wednesday to notorious militia boss Eurico Guterres.

"It's very little. He deserved the maximum penalty (death) both under Timorese law and Indonesian law", Ramos Horta said.

Germany's cooperation and development minister, Heidemarie Wieczorek- Zeul, who signed a new aid accord with Ramos Horta, echoed his indignation, calling for an international court "to try and punish" Indonesian officers and officials responsible for crimes against humanity in East Timor.

FA/SAS -Lusa-

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