---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ++ Pemilu Online: http://www.indo-news.com/pemilu/ ++ ---------------------------------------------------------- Antara, June 23, 1999 RI Can Only Accept If UN Conducts Vote On August 21 Jakarta, June 23 (ANTARA) - Indonesian President B.J. Habibie does not find it acceptable if UN Secretary General Kofi Annan delays conducting the direct ballot on the UN-supported autonomy package in East Timor above August 21, a presidential aide has said. "If the vote is not conduvted on August 21, President Habibie will not accept it, because (if the date is beyond August 21) he will be too hurried to prepare everything needed for his accountability speech in the upcoming general session of the House Consultative Assembly (MPR)," Dewi Fortuna Anwar told ANTARA here Wednesday. She was commenting on Annan's announcement of a two-week delay in the autonomy ballot in East Timor, which has previously been set for August 8. Annan said in a statement in Moscow and relayed to the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, that the ballot will go ahead in the month of August, citing security and logistical concerns as factors for the postponement. Annan did not clarify the exact date of the popular consultation on the wide-ranging autonomy that Jakarta has offered in order to pave the way for the East Timorese to determine their future. A UN source in New York, however, according to ANTARA's correspondent, said the direct ballot might be conducted on August 21 or August 22. In Anwar's opinion, the Indonesian government can understand the postponement as long as it does not disturb the country's national agenda, but prefers the vote to be carried out on August 21 (Saturday). She said Jakarta sincerely respects those who like to attend church on Sunday (August 22), so it prefers the ballot (if it must be delayed) be held on Saturday (August 21). In Indonesia's point of view, the delay was not caused by security factors in the troubled territory, but merely by technical matters inside the New York-based world organisation. Anwar said to her understanding, the special emissary of the UN Secretary General to East Timor, Jamsheed Marker, after a series of meetings with Indonesia's top officials, including President B.J. Habibie, Defense Minister/Armed Forces Chief Gen. Wiranto, Foreign Minister Ali Alatas and Justice Minister Muladi, said that the possibility of delaying the ballot was triggered by technical matters inside the United Nations. "We can understand the technical matters that the United Nations possibly faces. We know that the United Nations is too bureaucratic in line with the ballot, despite the fact that it will only be participated in by some 700,000 eligible voters". "It is not ready to conduct the ballot on schedule (August 8) because of its own matters...," she said, adding that, in contrast, Indonesia showed its success in holding its June 7 general election with more than 117 million registered voters, in a short preparation period. In connection with the UN Secretary General's announcement, Anwar said the Indonesian government had actually asked the UN not to announce the postponement too early. (T.NN-03/23/06/99 13:04/INT-TA/nn-03/TB06) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 28 Jun 1999 jam 07:43:01 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
