Spring raises EU concern over human rights in East Timor

STRONG EU concern about the human rights situation in East Timor and support for UN efforts to broker a solution were expressed yesterday by the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring. He was speaking to the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Jakarta as EU representative.

Mr Spring said later the EU was committed to achieving by dialogue "a just settlement which respects the legitimate aspirations of the East Timorese and is in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations".

He also held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Russia, Korea, Japan and Australia before flying to Australia today.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, correcting a previous statement, said that Mr Spring had not "welcomed" the invitation to Burma to join the ASEAN Regional Forum but had simply "noted" it.

This followed a condemnation by the Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna. Ms McKenna had said that in welcoming the invitation Mr Spring was "softening" the position of the EU.

. Canberra can do "nothing more" to clarify the deaths of six Australian based journalists in East Timor in 1975, the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, said yesterday after a 45 minute meeting with Mr Ali Alatas, his Indonesian opposite number. A recent Australian inquiry found that they died at the hands of invading Indonesian troops. Indonesia has consistently said the six died in crossfire and Mr Alatas has rejected the inquiry report.