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Marty in Dili for border deal, possible refugee dialogue
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa arrived in Dili on Tuesday on a two-day visit to meet with his Timor Leste counterpart as both countries work to iron out issues dealing with border arrangements and bilateral prosperity
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oreign Minister Marty Natalegawa arrived in Dili on Tuesday on a two-day visit to meet with his Timor Leste counterpart as both countries work to iron out issues dealing with border arrangements and bilateral prosperity.
Both countries are also expected to raise the issue of Australia's initiative to use Timor Leste as a regional processing center for refugees in the first joint ministerial meeting since 2005.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry said both ministers would sign an air transport agreement and open a border crossing, which is aimed at relaxing access to and from both countries for people living close to the international boundary.
"The border crossing will enhance economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts. The pass can also facilitate the establishment of a traditional market at the border and develop a peace zone there as recommended by the Commission of Truth and Friendship *CTF*," said the Foreign Ministry through a press statement.
Relations between Jakarta and the former Indonesian province are slowly being restored following the widespread violence of the 1999 referendum that gave Timor Leste its independence. Thousands of pro-independence Timorese were murdered in weeks of killings by militia sympathetic Indonesia and supported by its military.
Both countries agreed to settle the atrocities through the establishment of the CTF in 2005, despite international condemnation of the commission, which has seen no suspected perpetrators brought to trial.
Marty and his counterpart Zacarias Albano da Costa are also expected to touch on the Australian initiative to use Timor Leste as regional refugee processing center. Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah, however, said the topic was not on the ministers' agenda.
Jakarta has urged Canberra for a more detailed solution to the refugee standoff, saying discussion should have involved all related countries.
Thousands of refugees have been intercepted on their way to Australia and interned in Indonesia.
Jakarta has not specified any approval or concerns over the Timor Leste refugee center, saying that a solution to the refugees should take into account their settlement in third countries or repatriation to their home countries.
Marty is also scheduled to deliver a public lecture on "Challenges and Oppotunities for Timor Leste's Membership in ASEAN"
Timor Leste has been looking forward to be part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in an effort to boost its profile on the international stage.
Indonesia, the largest country in ASEAN, said it has supported Timor Leste's membership bid but said Dili should prepare itself to pledge committment for one community under the regional grouping.
Timor Leste has set a deadline to join ASEAN by 2012 but President Jose Ramos Horta said in a recent interview with a Singapore newspaper that they were already extremely behind achieving that target.
Marty is also scheduled to meet President Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao during his two-day visit.
