Parliament backs ShihabRs lobby against UN tribunal Fri, 4 Feb 2000 08:29:11 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - Joyo@aol.com Indonesian Observer Jan 24, 2000 Parliament backs Shihabs lobby against UN tribunal JAKARTA (IO)  A member of House Commission I, Ferry Tinggogoy, praised a series of negotiations carried out by Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab in New York, saying that support from the US government will significantly help to avoid the implementation of an international tribunal for Indonesian military officers over alleged human rights abuses in East Timor. He said if Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab could convince the US government that the Indonesian military did not order the demolition of East Timor, an international tribunal would not be applied. "I think it is a good move. If the US government could be convinced, the alleged human rights abuses would be resolved in Indonesia," Ferry told the Observer by phone yesterday. Reporter earlier, Shihab who is on a visit to New York starting last week met with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and other United Nations officials, to lobby the international organization against such a tribunal. Albright told Shihab on Thursday that Jakarta still has time to investigate the war crimes in East Timor and the US would seek further action. Several Indonesian military and police generals have been investigated by the Commission of Inquiry for Human Rights (KPP HAM) over their alleged involvement in Septembers atrocities after the independence ballot. Shihab has repeatedly told the UN that KPP HAM is credible and has seriously probed the human rights abuses in East Timor, and those guilty will be taken to court. Ferry emphasized that the negotiation move of the foreign minister is normal. "It is a normal move. But we have to understand that in international relations there is no free lunch. We must be ready if the US government asks for compensation," he added. He warned that if the Indonesian military officers be brought to an international tribunal for their alleged involvement in human rights abuses in East Timor, Indonesian-East Timor relations would definitely worsen. "Well, perhaps there is a plot to create such condition. I think the mastermind behind the plot is a foreign country which dislike good relations between Indonesia and East Timor," he said. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-02.04.00-08:29:09-235