FINLAND: TALKS CONTINUE ON RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN INDONESIA'S TROUBLED ACEH PROVINCE
Record ID:
648295
FINLAND: TALKS CONTINUE ON RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN INDONESIA'S TROUBLED ACEH PROVINCE
- Title: FINLAND: TALKS CONTINUE ON RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN INDONESIA'S TROUBLED ACEH PROVINCE
- Date: 24th February 2005
- Summary: (BN10) HELSINKI, FINLAND (FEBRUARY 22, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. MV ACEH PRIME MINSTER IN EXILE MALIK MAHMUD LEAVING HOTEL AND GETTING INTO CAR; SLV CARS DRIVING AWAY 0.14 2. SCU FLAG AT INDONESIAN EMBASSY 0.19 3. MV INDONESIAN DELEGATION MEMBERS TALKING INSIDE INDONESIA EMBASSY; MV DELEGATION MEMBERS TALKING AT EMBASSY LIVING ROOM; MV INDONESIAN DELEGATES WALKING OUT OF ROOM; MV INDONESIAN DELEGATION LEAVING EMBASSY 0.39 4. SOFYAN JALIL INDONESIAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION WALKING OUT OF EMBASSY; SLV GATES OUTSIDE STATEHOUSE KONINGSTEDT 1.03 (W5)HELSINKI, FINLAND(FEBRUARY 22, 2005)(REUTERS) 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACEH DELEGATION ADVISOR, DAMIEN KINGSBURY SAYING "Well, the major points I guess are that we're not talking about special autonomy, even thought the Indonesian delegation is still using the term in public I might say, they've agreed at least informally that they won't demand this as the requirement for negotiated outcome. They've agreed that the substance of whatever it is that you want to call this outcome will be significantly different to what's currently existing in Aceh." 1.32 6. MV ACEH POLITICAL ADVISER DAMIEN KINGSBURY WALKING, TALKING ON TELEPHONE 1.37 7. SOUNDBITE (English)KINGSBURY SAYING: "The GAM delegation has not presented independence as a request at these talks. It has left, essentially, it has left independence behind. And I think it's very important to note that they have made a very significant concession by doing this. They have come to these talks recognising the claim for independence will not be agreed to by the Indonesians, that they need to compromise and that they are seeking compromise from the indonesians in return. So it's a very significant concession and really has I think effectively allowed these talks to make what progress they have so far." 2.11 8. SLV ACHE DELEGATION ARRIVING AT HOTEL; MV ACHE PRIME MINISTER IN EXILE MALIK MAHMUD (CLOSEST TO CAMERA), ACHE FOREIGN MINISTER IN EXILE ZAINI ABBDULLAH 2.29 9. SOUNDBITE (English) ACHE FOREIGN MINISTER IN EXILE ZAINI ABBDULLAH SAYING: "I think it's a little bit early to tell about these things, because, you know we have achieved something, to be closer in certain things but according to, er asking about independence - it's too early." 2.45 10. SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) ACHE FOREIGN MINISTER IN EXILE ZAINI ABBDULLAH SAYING "We are discussing the important issues in detail right now." 3.01 11. SLV MEMBERS OF DELEGATION AT HOTEL DOOR; MV ABBDULLAH WALKING INTO HOTEL 3.09 12. SOUNDBITE (English) GAM (FREE ACEH MOVEMENT)SPOKESMAN BAKHTIAR ABDULLAH SAYING "Our stand still remains, but we are probing, we are exploring, we are trying to find all means possible to find a comprehensive solution to what has been going on for the last thirty years." 3.26 13. MV DOOR WITH SIGN SAYING CRISIS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE 3.30 14. SOUNDBITE(English)PAULIINA AROLA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE SAYING: "We where happy that the parties actually came back to the table this morning.I would say that yesterdays discussion was perhaps challenging and sensitive. I think that the talks have continued today in a positive, constructive dialogue. i would say that the atmosphere today is creating a good bases for the work." 4.04 15. MV PAULIINA AROLA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE SITTING AT DESK READING 4.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th March 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HELSINKI, FINLAND
- Country: Finland
- Reuters ID: LVA2LC0D1JT9YS7O3QJZ0A5LV8JA
- Story Text: Talks continue in Finland on resolving problems in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province.
Aceh separatists are ready to drop their 30-year struggle for
independence from Indonesia in return for some degree of self-rule, a
spokesman said on Tuesday (February 22, 2005) in what could be a turning point in peace
talks.
"The conflict cannot be solved like that and we have to come to
terms with that," Free Aceh Movement (GAM) spokesman Bakhtiar Abdullah
said, when asked if the goal of full independence had been abandoned in the
interest of achieving greater autonomy.
"That (self government) is the main thing on the table," he
told Reuters in Helsinki where peace talks with the Jakarta government were in
a second day. "Of course in the negotiations we go with the tangible
things that are on the table."
"Our stand still remains, but we are probing, we are
exploring, we are trying to find all means possible to find a comprehensive
solution to what has been going on for the last 30 years."
Australian academic Damien Kingsbury, who is advising the rebels, said
talks on Tuesday covered possible changes in Indonesian electoral law to allow
for local parties, withdrawal of military forces and possible outside
monitoring.
Given the mass of details still to be covered, he said there could be
"a number of rounds" of further talks.
"Well, the major points I guess are that we're not talking
about special autonomy, even though the Indonesian delegation is still using
the term in public I might say, they've agreed at least informally that they
won't demand this as the requirement for negotiated outcome. They've agreed
that the substance of whatever it is that you want to call this outcome will
be significantly different to what's currently existing in Aceh,"
Kingsbury said after the second day of talks.
"The GAM delegation has not presented independence as a request at
these talks. It has left, essentially, it has left independence behind. And I
think it's very important to note that they have made a very significant
concession by doing this. They have come to these talks recognising the claim
for independence will not be agreed to by the Indonesians, that they need to
compromise and that they are seeking compromise from the indonesians in
return. So it's a very significant concession and really has I think
effectively allowed these talks to make what progress they have so
far."
He said one of the main sticking points in the talks has been the
form of autonomy Jakarta is ready to offer
the Acehnese, who see "special autonomy" as meaning the status
quo and prefer the term "self government".
But in an apparent breakthrough, Kingsbury said the Indonesians had
agreed to take the "self government" idea back home for
discussion.
The current round of negotiations will be wrapped up on Wednesday, with
a news conference set for 1300 GMT.
Indonesia and the exiled GAM leadership are making their second attempt
in three weeks to agree on the future of the gas-rich province on the northern
tip of Sumatra island, where the conflict has cost more than 12,000 lives.
GAM has previously rejected offers of autonomy, insisting on
independence, but the sides were brought together by the Dec. 26 tsunami which
hit Aceh especially hard. Almost 240,000 people are dead or missing and more
than 400,000 were made homeless.
GAM leaders said before the current round of talks they were open to
all ideas.
"Our stand still remains, but we are probing, we are
exploring, we are trying to find all means possible to find a comprehensive
solution to what has been going on for the last 30 years," said GAM
(Free Aceh Movement)spokesman Bakhtiar Abdullah.
Since declaring independence in 1976, GAM's leaders have lived
in Stockholm and some experts question how much influence they have on
fighters on the ground halfway around the world.
An Indonesian spokesman was not available for comment.
A change in mood was also alluded to by the mediator of the talks, the
Conflict Management Initiative (CMI) group led by former Finnish President
Martti Ahtisaari, who said the dialogue was positive and constructive.
"The atmosphere today creates a good basis for (the sides) to
work," CMI's Pauliina Arola said.
Jakarta has previously offered concessions towards self-rule and
Islamic law in the devout Muslim province and a bigger slice of economic
benefits from the province's energy resources.
Earlier on Tuesday the Indonesian military said it would act resolutely
against GAM rebels if the peace talks collapsed.
"If peaceful efforts still could not bear results, we advise to
not be hesitant in taking firm measures against GAM," the Antara national
news agency quoted military chief General Endriartono Sutarto as saying.
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