---------------------------------------------------------- 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 Rejects Security As Reason Behind Delay Jakarta, June 23 (ANTARA) - Indonesia accepts the postponement of the direct ballot in East Timor, as announced by the UN secretary general, but rejects security as the reason behind the delay, Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Alatas said Wednesday. "Indonesia asks (that the postponement) be based on fair and objective reasons since, from our point of view, the security situation in East Timor has been improving," Alatas told reporters here. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan announced a two-week delay in the August 8 autonomy ballot in East Timor, on Tuesday in New York (Wednesday in Indonesia). Although no specific date was given, UN officials believe the ballot, which will allow the East Timorese to choose between autonomy under Indonesia and independence, will be held on August 21 or 22. On the reason behind the delay, Annan, who was in Moscow, said,"We have to ensure that the security situation was conducive and appropriate, that the logistical problems were solved, that we could deploy everybody on time." Jakarta considers the postponement as merely a logistics problem. Alatas said that the citing security as the reason behind the delay in the ballot is unacceptable. He noted that there had been delays in the UN program in East Timor, including the arrival of UN civilian police and the arrangement of logistical matters. "It is better (for the UN) to be honest in telling the real reasons (behind the delay). We will be reasonable. But do not put the security situation as the cause," he said. Meanwhile, Defense Minister/Armed Forces Chief, Gen Wiranto, pointed out Wednesday that the security in East Timor should not be made the scapegoat for the postponement of the ballot in the former Portuguese territory. He noted that the June 7 general election in the province was peaceful compared to previous elections. More people participated this year - more than 80 percent... There was no incident of burning voting stations like what happened in previous years," he said. Marker's report Alatas, further said that Jakarta was not consulted about the delay in the ballot. He said that even the idea of postponing it first appeared in a front-page story of the Australian daily, The Sydney Morning Herald. The newspaper quoted UN sources as saying the ballot could be postponed. "I do not quite understand why the foreign and local press have been discussing this matter as if there has been (an official) decision about it," he said. Reacting to Annan's announcement, he said Indonesia will stick to the agreement signed by Indonesia, Portugal and the UN on May 5 - that the ballot will be conducted on August 8. "The decision on whether or not it will be really postponed will be made after Ambassador (Jamsheed) Marker goes back to New York to give his report (on his visit to Indonesia)," he stressed. Marker has been in Indonesia since Monday (June 21) and is scheduled to arrive in the East Timorese capital of Dili on Wednesday. No information is available on when he is leaving Indonesia. (T.KPU-01/NN07/int-cl/17:11/nn-03/17:27/TB06) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 28 Jun 1999 jam 07:43:12 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
