---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, Aug 10 1999 E Timor: Predicting Poll Result Is Folly, Says Alatas Manila, Aug 9 (Reuters/ANTARA)-Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas on Monday called "a myth" statements by East Timor's resistance leaders that the territory would vote overwhelmingly for independence if this month's ballot on self-rule was free. Alatas, in Manila to receive diplomatic honours from Philippine President Joseph Estrada, also voiced hopes that armed groups supporting independence or autonomy for the Jakarta-ruled territory would be disarmed before the August 30 vote. Alatas said "the ballot can go both ways", adding: "It's not so clear who will win or who will lose." "There has been a myth going on for a long time as if it is for sure that 90 percent of the people in East Timor, if given a chance, would choose independence and only five percent would choose autonomy," he added. "This is a myth, of course. Everybody knows that that is not the situation." East Timorese independence leader Jose Ramos Horta had told reporters on a visit to Manila late last month he believed 90 percent of East Timorese would vote to break away from Indonesia if they were given a chance to freely express their wishes. Alatas said he did not wish to speculate on the outcome. Dozens of people have been killed in the former Portuguese colony since Jakarta announced in January it would allow the East Timorese to vote either for independence or greater autonomy. (U/NN01/9/08/99 20:12/tb02) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 16 Aug 1999 jam 06:37:57 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
