FINALND: THIRD ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE FREE ACEH MOVEMNET FINISH WITH OPTIMISM

Record ID: 646570

  • Title: FINALND: THIRD ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE FREE ACEH MOVEMNET FINISH WITH OPTIMISM
  • Date: 16th April 2005
  • Summary: (BN14) HELSINKI, FINLAND (APRIL 16, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV FORMER FINNISH PRESIDENT AND MEDIATOR MARTTI AHTISAARI IN FRONT OF TELEVISION CAMERAS 0.06 2. MCU (English) AHTISAARI SAYING: "Both parties seek a permanent and comprehensive solution with dignity for all. The negotiations will seek to define the framework for the local administrative structure for Aceh. The negotiations will explore the form of participation in local elections. The negotiations will define the details of providing amnesty. Transparency will be enhanced for the collection and allocation of revenues between the central government and Aceh. Both parties welcome the possible involvement of regional organisations in monitoring the commitments that will be undertaken by the parties in the agreement. Both parties will do their utmost to restrain their security forces in the field during the negotiation process. The parties have decided to continue the dialogue." 1.03 3. SV MEDIA 1.08 4. MCU (English) AHTISAARI SAYING: "We have moved from the rather general discussions which is only normal in this sort of processes to very substantive discussions on various issues. This is a break-through." 1.25 5. SLV ACEH PRIME MINISTER MALIK MAHMUD SITTING TALKING TO REPORTER 1.28 6. SV (English) MAHMUD SAYING: "On our part we have already given orders to our troops to restrain from military action as much as possible, unless they are being cornered. I think it is a common knowledge that the military in Aceh have their own agenda. This is a problem." 1.56 7. SV FREE ACEH MOVEMENTS SPOKESPERSON BAKHTIAR ABDULLAH TALKING TO REPORTER 2.00 8. MCU (English) ABDULLAH SAYING: "The only outstanding issue at the moment that has not been touched in-depth is the question of security arrangements. We believe this could be done in the next round." 2.13 9. CU STATUE 2.17 10. SLV OF THE ROOM 2.22 11. SV INDONESIAN DELEGATION SITTING ON SOFA 2.28 12. MCU (English) INDONESIAN JUSTICE MINISTER HAMID AWALUDDIN SAYING: "The implementation of the agreement depends not only on the government's side but both sides of course. That is way we ended up this, by saying (that) we start from now to restrain our forces and this is a new start. That is why we also did a monitoring system to monitor the implementation of the agreement." 2.54 13. CU PAINTING ON THE WALL 2.59 14. MCU (English) AWALUDDIN SAYING: "Yes definitely, we do share the same optimism. That is why we are here." 3.06 15. PAN INDONESIAN DELEGATION SITTING DOWN 3.18 16. MCU (English) MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SOFYAN DJALIL SAYING: "The question is, why there are more troops in Aceh? Because there is a conflict. If the conflict is over, we don't need troops in Aceh, more than the normal troops stationed in that area." 3.30 17. SV MEDIA 3.34 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HELSINKI, FINLAND
  • Country: Finland
  • Reuters ID: LVA493XCC1AU89F04LWJY2FBR22
  • Story Text: Third round of talks between the Indonesian
    Government and the Free Aceh Movement finish with optimism.



    The third round of talks between the Government of
    Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in search of a
    peaceful settlement to the conflict in Aceh finished
    Saturday (April 16), a day earlier than originally
    scheduled.

    Former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who has
    acted as a mediator in all three rounds of talks was very
    pleased of what had been agreed upon in this round.

    "We have moved from the rather general discussions
    which is only normal in this sort of processes to very
    substantive discussions on various issues. This is a
    break-through," he said.

    Ahtisaari said that both parties had reach an
    understanding on the guiding principles of the continuation
    of the negotiation process.

    Reading out a joint statement, Ahtisaari said that
    "both parties seek a permanent and comprehensive solution
    with dignity for all. The negotiations will seek to define
    the framework for the local administrative structure for
    Aceh. The negotiations will explore the form of
    participation in local elections. The negotiations will
    define the details of providing amnesty. Transparency will
    be enhanced for the collection and allocation of revenues
    between the central government and Aceh. Both parties
    welcome the possible involvement of regional organisations
    in monitoring the commitments that will be undertaken by
    the parties in the agreement. Both parties will do their
    utmost to restrain their security forces in the field
    during the negotiation process. The parties have decided to
    continue the dialogue."
    The Aceh delegation shared Ahtisaari's optimism, yet
    pointing out that there was still, among other topics, the
    tricky issue of security to be solved. However, high hopes
    of solving that in the coming talks remained.

    "On our part we have already given orders to our troops
    to restrain from military action as much as possible,
    unless they are being cornered. I think it is a common
    knowledge that the military in Aceh have their own agenda.

    This is a problem," Aceh prime minister Malik Mahmud
    concluded.

    On the other side of the town, the Indonesian
    delegation invited the press to the Indonesian Embassy. A
    very up-beat Indonesian justice minister, Hamid Awaluddin
    said he shared the same optimism as the GAM in regards of
    finding a solution to the Aceh problem, and that they had
    made headway in this round of the talks.

    The government in Jakarta has been questioned over the
    extent of power they have over the military. Alawuddin
    responded to this saying that they were working on
    implementing a monitoring system to track the progress.

    "The implementation of the agreement depends not only
    on the government's side but both sides of course. That is
    way we ended up this, by saying (that) we start from now to
    restrain our forces and this is a new start. That is why
    we also did a monitoring system to monitor the
    implementation of the agreement," Awalludin said.

    The parties have decided to continue the dialogue and
    are to return to Helsinki for a fourth round of talks May
    26-31, 2005.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register