---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, July 14 1999 E. Timor: UNAMET Urged To Be More Active In Introducing Autonomy Package To People Jakarta, July 13 (ANTARA)- Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said he had asked the UNAMET (UN Mission in East Timor) to be more active in familiarizing the East Timor people with the autonomy package so that they could make their choice in the direct ballot next August 21 or 22 based on sufficient information. "Based on the New York agreement, the party authorized to introduce the autonomy package to the East Timorese people is the UNAMET," Alatas said. Speaking to the press after a meeting with Commision I of the House of Representatives (DPR) here Tusday, the minister said campaigning among the East Timorese people and providing information to them were two different things. "Providing information must be done in a neutral way," the minister said, adding that there was an impression that UNAMET had not been paying sufficient attention to the matter. UNAMET had already done something "but we have the impression its effort merits intensification as many East Timorese prove to be still ignorant about the autonomy package," he said. The minister said local government officials could also take the initiative to inform the people about the package provided they did not do anything that could be categorized as campaigning. "Local government officials who want to make the aotonomy package better known to the people can do so but not in their official capacities and without using government funds," he said. Asked whether the delay in voters' registration would lead to a second postponement of the ballot itself, he said Indonesia wanted to see it held acording to schedule, namely August 21 or 22. So far there was no sign that it would be delayed again, he said. The direct ballot in East Timor will let the territory's people determine their own future by indicating whether they accept or reject wide-ranging autonomy within Indonesia. Meanwhile, during his meeting with the House's Commision I which deals with security, defence, legal and information affairs, Alatas explained the government's stance on the UN Secretary General's decision to postpone voters' registration in East Timor. On the impression that UNAMET was biased in favor of the pro- indepedence group, Alatas said the impression stemmed from one sided statements made by the UNAMET spokesperson. "The impression was also created by UNAMET's inclination to fill its local staff positions with people belonging to the pro- independence camp," he said. (T/NN-06/INT-AJM-22:03/ri1/13/07/99 22:29) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 20 Jul 1999 jam 04:42:14 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
