Peter Barry
Ceist:382 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will raise the occupation of East Timor by Indonesia with the United Nations.
Written Answers. - Occupation of East Timor.
Ireland, together with our partners in the Twelve, has expressed its deep concern on a number of occasions over the past year about the situation in East Timor, and in particular about the question of human rights abuses there.
At a meeting with the Indonesian Ambassador to Ireland earlier this year I expressed my deep concern about human rights in East Timor. I recently met in Dublin Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, a spokesman for the people of East Timor, and conveyed to him my deep sympathy at the plight of his people and my outrage at the human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Indonesian armed forces in East Timor.
I am pleased to note that the Foreign Ministers of Portugal and Indonesia met with the Secretary General in New York on 26 September and agreed to resume the dialogue between the two Governments to search for a solution to the question of East Timor under the Secretary General's auspices.