FOREIGN MINISTER REPORTS PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000236 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD, JOINT STAFF FOR J5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC KPKO KDEM TT SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER REPORTS PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH DISSIDENT MILITARY AND THE INVESTIGATIONS INTO MAY 28 REF: Dili 233 DILI 00000236 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a May 13 meeting with the Diplomatic Corps, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta reported that significant progress was made over the weekend to ease tensions with the dissident military groups including the group led by Major Reinado and the 591 Petitioners led by Lt. Salsinha. Reinado's group met with the President and, while they did not agree to surrender their arms, Reinado formally renounced the use of violence and agreed to implement several confidence building measures, including minimizing the visibility of weapons and conducting all patrols jointly with the National Police (PNTL). Separately, Salsinha's group agreed to take concrete steps to cooperate with the government commission investigating their complaints. Horta also reported that the government's investigation into April 28 has concluded that there is no evidence that more than 5 people were killed, but, to ensure that the results are widely accepted, the government has requested that an independent, international investigation be conducted. Maj. Reinado and the MPs -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Early on the morning of Saturday, May 13, Major Alfredo Reinado and members of his group traveled to Dili accompanied by Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta to meet with the President and to discuss their grievances and possible confidence measures which could be implemented to deescalate tensions. ¶3. (SBU) According to Horta, the President asked Reinado and his men to return to Dili and to surrender all weapons. Reinado replied that he couldn't do that until the events of April 28 had been thoroughly investigated and the guilty parties punished. ¶4. (SBU) The President then asked Reinado's group to undertake several measures to ease tensions, minimize the possibility that miscalculation or misunderstanding might result in violence, and facilitate communication with the regular military. According to Horta and confirmed in a telcon with Reinado, Reinado agreed to all of the president's proposals, including: -- pledging loyalty to the state and rejecting the use of violence except for self-defense; -- minimizing the visibility of weapons outside his headquarters; -- conducting all movements jointly with the National Police (PNTL); -- accepting the presence of a military "liaison officer" at his headquarters to facilitate communication and coordination with regular armed forces (F-FDTL) units and General Taur Matan Ruak; and -- encouraging other armed elements, such as PNTL members who fled to Aileu with their families and weapons, to remain calm and peaceful. ¶5. (SBU) After the meeting, Horta met with General Taur Matan Ruak (TMR) to confirm that he agreed with these measures and to ask him to restate publicly that there would be no military operations whatsoever against Reinado and his group. General Ruak, said Horta, readily agreed. Separately, National Police Chief Paulo Martins confirmed that his men have been instructed to not attempt to arrest Reinado at this time. Petitioners -------------- ¶6. (SBU) According to Minister Horta, Salsinha has again formally rejected the use of violence and renewed his pledge to cooperate fully with the commission led by Minister for State Administration Ana Pessoa to evaluate the group's grievances. As a show of good faith, Salsihna reportedly told Horta that he would have 50 of his men present themselves in Maliana this week to be interviewed by commission members. (Note: Please see Dili 233 for an update on Salsinha's recalcitrance in cooperating with the Government-led commission.) Investigation into May 28 -------------- DILI 00000236 002.2 OF 002 ¶7. (SBU) The government has completed its investigation into the events on May 28 and concluded that there is no evidence that more than 5 deaths occurred as a result of military operations in Tasitolu. Despite this, said Horta, many people refuse to accept the results because the investigation was carried out by the government. ¶8. (SBU) To remedy this, Horta said that he has requested the Office of the UN Commission for Human Rights conduct a formal investigation and issue a public report. The body agreed, said Horta, but is not able to begin the investigation until early August - too late to help ease the current tensions. Horta said that the government is exploring other options to conclude the investigation more quickly, including the possibility of requesting assistance from the International Commission of Jurists, Judge Philip Rapoza (an American judge from Massachusetts who previously served as the President of the Special Panels for Serious Criems),and elsewhere. UNOTIL is also planning to carry out an investigation. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: Despite the recent progress in bringing the dissident military groups back to the table, the situation is far from resolved. Two armed groups and numerous individual police are still AWOL in the mountains outside Dili, and although dialogue has been restored, there does not appear to be any progress in getting these groups to return to the capital. Moreover, several sources have expressed concern over the commission led by Minister Ana Pessoa as too little too late. In addition, dissident groups state that the current government (read: Alkatiri government) lacks the credibility needed to resolve the crisis. So long as they hold this position, it is unlikely that there will be meaningful negotiations before the outcome of the FRETILIN Congress is known. End Comment. STEIN