---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- 08/29/1999 01:44:00 ET Australian PM calls Habibie to demand E.Timor security CANBERRA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard called Indonesian President B.J. Habibie on Sunday to demand full security in East Timor ahead of Monday's independence ballot. In what were described as "extensive discussions" Howard stressed the need for an end to violence in the run-up to the referendum. "The Prime Minister expressed the importance of a fair ballot, and the need for adequate security to ensure that that happens," a spokesman for Howard's office told Reuters. "He expressed the importance of everyone accepting the outcome and making it work, whatever the outcome of the ballot is." East Timorese will decide on Monday whether they want to remain part of Indonesia, which invaded the Portuguese colony 23 years ago, or move towards independence. Rioting in the troubled province has claimed at least a dozen lives in the past few days, and the U.N.-sponsored vote has been postponed twice. Most of the violence has been blamed on militias opposed to independence. Howard expressed his concern for the safety of Australians in East Timor, and said the country's defence forces had been put on the alert to pull Australian citizens out if need be. The spokesman declined to comment on what Habibie's reaction had been. Australia has maintained close diplomatic ties with Jakarta and, as the only Western nation to recognise Indonesian sovereignty over East Timor, has played a key role in the planning and monitoring of Monday's poll. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 29 Aug 1999 jam 10:03:12 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
