Vol. 493 No. 4
78 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will pursue the case of a person (details supplied) with the President of Indonesia with a view to bringing pressure to bear on the Indonesian authorities for his release. [16581/98]
I am greatly concerned at the plight of political prisoners from East Timor, and have availed of every opportunity to press for their immediate release. On 27 May I issued a statement calling for the release of the jailed East Timor resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, and all other political prisoners in Indonesia. Shortly afterwards, the British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Derek Fatchett, travelled to Jakarta on behalf of the EU Presidency and succeeded in securing a meeting with the prisoner himself. The matter has also been raised by Ireland at the EU Council of Ministers and at the European Council meeting in Cardiff on 15/16 June. The European Council called on Indonesia to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and sought the release of all political prisoners including Xanana Gusmao and others from East Timor. I will continue to raise the matter on all appropriate occasions until Mr Gusmao is released.
