Progress in Aceh talks - negotiations to continue in April

Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari reported on Wednesday that there had been progress in talks aimed at a peace agreement between the Indonesian government and separatist rebels in the province of Aceh.
      At the conclusion of a second round of discussions near Helsinki on Wednesday, Ahtisaari said that the negotiators of the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) would meet again in Finland in mid-April.
      Ahtisaari described progress in the talks as "surprisingly good", and said that a peace agreement in the conflict might be reached in July, or earlier.
      Representatives of GAM and the Indonesian government weighed their comments carefully. Although there were extensive discussions on a number of questions, there was no agreement on concrete issues, and both sides now have to consult with their respective home fronts.
     
At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Ahtisaari said that he was surprised at the positive atmosphere at the talks. He invited the two sides back to Finland for another round on April 12th - 17th, and said that he expected to see results - in the best case a solution to the civil war - in July at the latest.
      A press release put out by Ahtisaari's Crisis Management Initiative office said that the discussions touched upon issues such as "special autonomy or, as GAM proposed, self-government".
      Although the precise meaning of the terms remained somewhat vague, the wording could contain the key to a peace agreement. GAM has been demanding independence for decades, while Indonesia has offered only "special autonomy". The new term, "self-government" could act as a face-saving device for both sides.
      "Now our task is to define a content for the word self-government", said Damien Kingsbury, an Australian adviser on the GAM negotiating team. "Self-government must involve a genuine local democratic political process."
      "Details have yet to be decided, but self-government would at least require freedom for local parties to operate, and for the Indonesian central government not to interfere in the affairs of Aceh. In addition, the Aceh people need the opportunity to endorse the agreement [in a referendum]", noted Kingsbury.
      Ahtisaari said that there had been no agreement on a referendum yet, but that local elections would be a way to involve the local people in the process.
     
GAM spokesman Bakhtiar Abdullah confirmed on Wednesday that the rebels are wiling to continue their talks.
      Indonesia's Minister of Security Widodo Adi Sutjipto said that his government would soon announce whether or not it would take part in a new round of talks. He also confirmed that there had been progress in the negotiations so far.
      "During the past two days we have not heard any mention of demands for independence", said Widodo.
      However, GAM "Prime Minister" Malik Mahmud, who lives in exile in Stockholm, said that the group has not given up its "struggle for independence", but he admitted that the issue is not being brought forward in the ongoing talks.
      Mahmud also said that the talks have been overshadowed by Indonesian attacks in Aceh in recent days.
     
While he was pleased with the progress made so far, Ahtisaari recognised that much remains to be done. "This is like a marathon, and we have run a third of the 42 kilometres".
      The list of problems remains long. About 12,000 people have been killed in the nearly three decades of hostilities.
      GAM accuses the Indonesian government of plundering the natural resources in the province, while Indonesia fears that granting independence to Aceh could lead to the disintegration of the whole country.
      With tensions in Aceh remaining high, Ahtisaari appealed to both sides to refrain from using force before the next round of negotiations.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Aceh rebels might drop demand for full independence (23.2.2005)
  Sensitive Aceh peace talks reach delicate phase in Vantaa (22.2.2005)
  Aceh negotiators back in Finland for another round of peace talks (21.2.2005)
  Former President Ahtisaari invites Aceh negotiators back to Finland (31.1.2005)

Links:
  Crisis Management Initiative: *Statement by President Martti Ahtisaari after the 2nd round of Aceh talks* (23.2.2005)