SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN GENEVA, HOLDS EIGHTH ROUND OF TALKS ON EAST TIMOR
Press Release
SG/T/2071
SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN GENEVA, HOLDS EIGHTH ROUND OF TALKS ON EAST TIMOR
19960627 The eighth round of talks on East Timor, chaired by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was held in Geneva today.At 10 a.m., the Secretary-General met with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Ali Alatas. He then met with the Foreign Minister of Portugal, Jaime Jose Matos da Gama. Those separate meetings were followed by a meeting with the two delegations which continued over a working lunch. The eighth round of talks concluded at 4 p.m.
At 5 p.m., the Secretary-General met the Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations at Geneva, and Chairman of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Lodewijk Willerns. The ECE Executive Secretary, Yves Berthelot, was present at that meeting.
Tomorrow morning, 28 June, the Secretary-General will leave Geneva for Lyon, where he is expected to arrive at noon to participate in the summit meeting of the "Group of Seven" most industrialized countries.
Following the conclusion of the eighth round of talks on the question of East Timor, a communique was issued stating that the ministers had discussed developments since the last round of talks, held in January, including the implementation of the Chairman's Statement adopted by the fifty-second session of the Commission on Human Rights. Without prejudice to their respective positions of principle regarding the status of East Timor, they had discussed in greater detail substantive issues related to an eventual framework for the achievement of a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the question of East Timor.
Further, the ministers welcomed the convening of the all-inclusive intra-East Timorese dialogue, held at Burg Schlaining, Austria, from 19 to 22 March, with the facilitation of the Secretary-General. They expressed their gratitude to the Government of Austria for hosting the meeting and to other governments for their support. They took note with satisfaction of the Secretary-General's intention to facilitate it and offer the necessary arrangements for another meeting for the continuation of that dialogue, in accordance with the same terms of reference agreed at the fifth round of talks.
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In addition, the ministers considered the proposals of the dialogue and agreed to proceed with consultations on matters relating to the establishment of an East Timorese cultural centre in Dili and to the development of human resources in East Timor.
Following today's discussions, the parties agreed to continue their efforts, with the assistance of the Secretary-General, to find a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable settlement to the question of East Timor.
The ninth round of talks will be held on 21 December in New York. In the meantime, talks will continue at the level of Permanent Representative and with the participation of the Secretary-General's Representative.
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