- Title: FINLAND: INDONESIAN DELEGATION ARRIVES IN HELSINKI FOR TALKS WITH GAM LEADERSHIP
- Date: 20th February 2005
- Summary: (W2) HELSINKI-VANTAA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, HELSINKI, FINLAND (FEBRUARY 20, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV DELEGATES LEAVING ELEVATOR AT AIRPORT/BEING GREETED BY FINNISH OFFICIAL/INDONESIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION MINISTER SOFYAN A. DJALIL APPROACHING MEDIA/MCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDONESIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION MINISTER SOFYAN A. DJALIL, SAYING: "First of all we come here to have a second informal talk with GAM, we want to discuss again it has been proposed - we are trying to find a solution of a termination of conflict in Aceh within the framework of local authority. That's all what I can say for the time being. (Reporter's question 'How do you se the chances of reaching a permanent ceasefire?') Yeah, we have a quite optimistic that's why we come here. (Reporter's question 'What will be on the agenda?') The agenda is proposed by President Martti Ahtisaari that is looking for the termination of conflict - and settlement of the termination of conflict and peaceful settlement of the Aceh problem with peaceful and dignity to everybody." 1.13 2. SV OF DELEGATES GETTING INTO WAITING CARS (2 SHOTS) 1.25 3. LV CARS LEAVE (2 SHOTS) 1.36 4. SLV ENTRANCE TO INDONESIAN EMBASSY 1.40 5. SLV OF DELEGATES ARRIVING AT THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY (2 SHOTS) 1.52 6. SLV INDONESIAN EMBASSY WITH FLAG 1.57 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th March 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HELSINKI,FINLAND
- Country: Finland
- Reuters ID: LVA9A03N3AJ40GONM38NJSFCVBRP
- Story Text: Indonesian delegation arrives in Helskini for talks
with GAM leadership.
The two sides are due to meet in Helsinki on Monday
(February 21) for talks mediated by former Finnish
President Martti Ahtisaari's Crisis Management Initiative.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said
Indonesia had only agreed to send a
delegation if it was "guaranteed that GAM (Free Aceh
Movement) leadership will obey the agenda".
That was "special autonomy and topics around that",
Yudhoyono told reporters in the Aceh provincial capital of
Banda Aceh, where he was touring areas devastated by the
December 26 earthquake and tsunami.
GAM has rejected similar offers in the past, insisting
on ultimate independence from Jakarta.
The talks are aimed at ending three decades of violence
and securing a lasting peace for the gas-rich province on
the northern tip of Sumatra.
Analysts say the meeting should aim to secure a
ceasefire so that rehabilitation work can proceed more
smoothly in Aceh, where more than 235,000 are dead or
listed as missing after the
earthquake and the tsunami it unleashed.
Security remains a concern for aid workers in Aceh and
Australia issued an updated travel advisory on Saturday
warning that Islamic extremists could be planning attacks
against foreign relief workers.
Indonesian authorities said they had no hard evidence
of such possible attacks, and Yudhoyono denied there was a
fresh threat.
Yudhoyono's comments were the first clear indication of
the Helsinki meeting's agenda, but he did not go into
greater detail.
"I think it's not proper in this forum to discuss the meaning of
sp
ecial autonomy because that is the topic that
we have to discuss with GAM leadership in Helsinki," he
said.
The autonomy deal Jakarta has offered includes
concessions towards self-rule, Islamic law, and a bigger
slice of the economic benefits from the province's
resources.
The tsunami disaster has brought the warring parties
together but there have still been sporadic reports of
clashes.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
