---------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- The Straits Times, August 13, 1999 Forget Independent Aceh, says Wiranto The Indonesian army rejects demands for Aceh to break away and for a peacekeeping force to enter East Timor after the autonomy ballot JAKARTA -- Demands for independence in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province were unacceptable, armed forces commander General Wiranto said yesterday, calling the stance "non-negotiable". "Demands for Aceh to become independent are not realistic and cannot be allowed," he told reporters. He said Indonesia was founded as a diverse, unitary state and its composition could not be changed. "This is non-negotiable," he added. Turning to East Timor, he said: "We do not want any peacekeeping force entering our territory." He was refering to calls by some observer and human-rights groups for a United Nations peacekeeping force after the ballot. Even though the army had been fighting alongside pro-integrationists for 23 years in East Timor, it would respect the outcome of the Aug 30 vote, he said. He said the military would ensure security in the "critical" period between polling day and a November meeting of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly to decide whether to accept the outcome of the polls. Foreign Minister Ali Alatas disclosed yesterday that Indonesia and Portugal had agreed to boost the UN presence in East Timor to improve security after the referendum. "We all see the need for an addition, to anticipate the possibility of new tension," he said after accompanying UN special envoy Jamsheed Marker in a meeting with President B. J. Habibie yesterday. However, he added the nature of the UN mission would remain the same and "they will not become an armed peacekeeping force". He also said the actual number of UN and military personnel to be added to the present contingent was still being discussed. Senior Foreign Ministry officials from Indonesia and Portugal were also present at the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta. -- AFP, Reuters ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 18 Aug 1999 jam 10:25:21 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
