---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Australian foreign minister meets governor, opens consulate in East Timor DILI, East Timor, July 30 (AFP) - Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Friday began a 24-hour visit to East Timor meeting Indonesian officials and pro- and anti-independence East Timorese leaders. Downer, who flew in aboard a small Royal Australian Airforce executive jet from the resort island of Bali, was immediately whisked to the office of Governor Jose Osorio Abilio Soares whom he met for about 35 minutes, witnesses said. There was no immediate comment from either Soares or Downer, the first Australian minister to visit the troubled territory, whose people will vote next month on whether they want independence or to remain part of Indonesia. Downer then went straight to the headquarters of the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), which is organizing the August 30 vote, before officially opening the Australian consulate in Dili in a brief ceremony. The consulate, the first foreign representation in the former Portuguese territory invaded by Indonesia in 1975, has been operational since mid-June. Australian consul to East Timor, James Bately, a former high commissioner to the Solomon islands, arrived here on June 8. UNAMET Chief Ian Martin said after the meeting with Downer that they had discussed "all aspects of the popular consultation". He said the two had discussed the progress of registration for the vote, the security situation, and the upcoming campaign period. The two also discussed "the period after the ballot and the changing nature of the UN presence after that", Martin said. In Jakarta Thursday, Downer aired concerns to Indonesian President B.J. Habibie and military chief General Wiranto about violence erupting in East Timor during the limbo period after a ballot and before the Indonesian decision on whether it will allow East Timor to break away. Downer quoted Wiranto as reassuring him that the Indonesian security forces will remain in East Timor during the period leading to independence, if the autonomy offer was rejected. Australia is heavily involved in providing logistics support and personnel for UNAMET. At UNAMET headquarters, Downer shook hands with Australian members of the UN civilian police and military liaison officers, telling them that they were doing "a tremendously useful job". Sources here have said Downer was expected also meet the head of the Indonesian military in east Timor, Colonel Tono Suratman, and the leaders of the pro and anti-independence factions. He is also expected to meet with Dili Bishop and Nobel laureate Carlos Ximenes Felipe Belo later Friday. Visiting at the same time as Downer was the head of the Bali-based military command that oversees security in East Timor, Major General Adam Damiri. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 30 Jul 1999 jam 10:38:20 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
