---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Indonesian Observer July 30, 1999 RI wants Timor registration period extented JAKARTA (IO) =96 Due to a decision from United Nations (UN) to delay the bal= lot=20 in East Timor, the Indonesian government proposes that the deadline for=20 voters registration should be extended by one week, State Secretary/Justice=20 Minister Muladi says. Muladi added that the whole process of the ballot in East Timor is under the=20 coordination of the UN.=20 "If the UN wants a delay, we cannot do anything, we want the registration be=20 extended," Muladi told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting at House of=20 Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta yesterday. Voters registration for the ballot in East Timor is supposed to be closed on=20 August 4. He also said the government regrets the unfair conduct of certain figures=20 within the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET). "We have lots of evidences (on=20 their unfair conduct Foreign Affairs Minister, Ali Alatas, said on Wednesday=20 that the UN has decided to delay by one week the ballot that will determine=20 the future of East Timor. "The (UN) Secretary General is apparently now proposing that the popular=20 consultation in East Timor be held on August 30," Alatas said, in an=20 interview with CNBC conducted in Singapore, where he is attending an ASEAN=20 gathering. Alatas said he had just received the information from the New York mission. It was the second delay in the implementation of the ballot, which was=20 originally scheduled for August 8, and which was later on pushed back to=20 August 21 or 22.=20 Security concerns were behind the first postponement. Asked whether the reasons behind UN decision to delay the ballot are=20 rational, the minister declined to comment, saying that he has not yet=20 received letter from UN. "But, the president has told minister Alatas to extend the ballot=20 registration," he said. Muladi added principally the government can accept the delay as long as it i= s=20 held before plenary meeting of the People=92s Consultative Assembly (MPR). No extension In a further development, the UNAMET said yesterday, the voter registration=20 period will not be extended, despite the delay in the ballot date.=20 "The registration period has been set to last 20 days, from July 16 to Augus= t=20 4,1999, and will not be prolonged," Yasuhiro Ueki, UNAMET deputy chief=20 spokesman, was quoted by Antara as saying.=20 He said, the 6-day documentation period was set from Aug 5 to 10, and the=20 17-day campaign period from August 11 to 27, while the a 2-day cooling-down=20 period will between August 28 and 29.=20 When asked about the security problem during the whole process, he said,=20 Unamet was continuously observing it and whatever was observed would be take= n=20 in account in the formulation of a code of conduct for the campaigning=20 activities.=20 The code was currently still in the making, he said. UNAMET=92s civilian police will make suggestions to the Indonesian police on=20 how to anticipate possible forms of violence.=20 The Indonesian police will be solely responsible for the maintenance of=20 security.=20 In relation to the code of conduct, it is hoped that the two rival camps in=20 East Timor (the pro-integration and pro-independence groups) can arrive at a= n=20 accord to do their campaigning in a fair and safe manner.=20 To this end, the UNAMET will ask the two camps to be prepared to hold a=20 dialogue.=20 Both camps will also be expected to be able to determine the same level of=20 playing field, so that they can each do their campaigning freely. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 30 Jul 1999 jam 09:07:24 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
