New Zealand: Leaders Arrive For APEC Summit-Jose Ramos-Horta Continues Efforts To Get UN Forces Sent To East Timor

Record ID: 4099

  • Title: New Zealand: Leaders Arrive For APEC Summit-Jose Ramos-Horta Continues Efforts To Get UN Forces Sent To East Timor
  • Date: 11th September 1999
  • Summary: Massacres in East Timor, Chinese threats against Taiwan and strained Sino-US relations dominated bilateral meetings between the heads of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies on September 11. Top of the agenda for US President Bill Clinton and many of the other leaders was the carnage in East Timor, which has dominated talks by APEC foreign and trade ministers who arrived to discuss trade issues earlier in the week. Set up 10 years ago to push for free trade, APEC has become distracted by politics in recent years since the World Trade Organisation has become the main vehicle for opening markets. This year's APEC summit, grouping countries with nearly half the world's trade and 16 trillion US dollars in economic output, was billed as an overture to the next round of global trade talks due to start in Seattle in November under the auspices of the WTO. Clinton, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and South Korean leader Kim dae-Jung, all on state visits, arrived at Auckland airport to war dances by troops of Maori warriors and South Sea islanders in flax skirts. A platoon of about 20 bare-chested performers strutted, chanted and waved spears in a "haka" welcome, a Kiwi greeting traditionally reserved for tourists, before the networking began. Reports of the murder of thousands of people in East Timor after the territory's 80 percent vote for independence last month dominated discussions after the United States and several other nations suspended military links with Indonesia. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said East Timor and possible involvement of the international peace keeping force would continue to be a central focus. East Timorese resistance leader Jose Ramos-Horta, in Auckland to reinforce the international community's efforts to halt the persecution of the East Timorese by anti-independence militia backed by Indonesian soldiers, called on Indonesia to accept moral defeat. WARNING:LOCAL MUSIC LICENCES MAY APPLY. Copyright laws covering the composition, arrangement and/or performance of music differ from country to country, and even from state to state within some countries. These range from limiting the law to specific circumstances - e. g. 'performances given by professionals to a paying audience' - to total coverage that encompasses everything from a professional performance to the most amateur rendition - e. g. 'spectators at sports events'. If in doubt we recommend that either the section containing 'Music' is deleted or that the sound level is turned down and covered with commentary.
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  • Location: NEW ZEALAND AUCKLAND
  • Reuters ID: LDL0012BLO4ZZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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  • Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
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