Suara Timor Loro Sae

Dili, 18 February 2004

President Xanana Gusmão and Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta have denied the allegation that they had recently met former Indonesian Minister of Defense, General Wiranto, in Bali, together with Prosecutor General, Longuinhos Monteiro. Interviewed by Timor Post, President Gusmão commented on the contents of a press communiqué issued on Monday by an international NGO, the East Timor Alliance for an International Tribunal.

The media release said the meeting had taken place, following the announcement by the Serious Crimes Unit (SCU), of the General's
indictment for crimes against humanity. The Alliance media release said it had received "reliable information" that on 31 January or 1 February 2004, that Gusmão, Ramos-Horta and Longuinhos Monteiro held "secret talks" with Wiranto, and that "partial reports" of the meeting have appeared in Australian, Portuguese and American newspapers. According to the NGO, it was the second time Xanana and Wiranto had met "to discuss reconciliation." In a statement issued by his office on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Ramos Horta said he had not met Wiranto and "have no plan to meet the gentleman". Ramos Horta added that the only time he met Wiranto was in June 1999, before the referendum and in October 1999, and that both meetings were official and public.

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