(12 Jul 2005) SHOTLIST
1. Malik Mahmud, head of GAM (Free Aceh Movement) negotiation team, arriving at the Radisson Hotel in Helsinki
2. Wide of GAM spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah speaking with a reporter on the grounds of the hotel
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bachtiar Abdullah, GAM spokesman:
"The whole article, or the whole content of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), it was very progressive. And of course, to achieve the best result, we kind of making proposals, and still we have not come into a complete agreement yet, because of the differences that we still have."
4. Cutaway exterior of the hotel
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bachtiar Abdullah, GAM spokesman (responding to reporter question of if GAM will insist on having its own political party):
"It is part of the whole package and I think if there is going to be a need for change, this has to be compromised and of course, they've been arguing that it's against constitution and it's against the setup of the government right now. Because we are considering this to have some kind of democratisation process in Indonesia, this has to be allowed."
6. Wide of GAM members waiting in the lobby of the hotel
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bachtiar Abdullah, GAM spokesman (talking about the rebels remaining in Aceh):
"They have been very supportive also to the peace process and they have been...but that doesn't mean that they have weakened. They are always ready for any eventualities and encouraging...I daresay that they respect the decision of the leadership and hope also for a good outcome from this peace talks."
8. Pan of exterior of hotel
9. Wide of Abdullah speaking to a reporter on the hotel grounds
STORYLINE
The latest round of peace talks between the Indonesian government and separatists from tsunami-ravaged Aceh province began on Tuesday near Helsinki with both sides saying a peace agreement was within reach.
The spokesman for the Free Aceh Movement rebels said the talks went very well but that there remained a couple of issues to resolve after the first day of meetings at the secluded government manor in the suburb of Vantaa
Rebel spokesman Bachtiar Abdullah also said the main outstanding issues remain the right of the separatists to form their own political party and to contest local elections, as well as the demilitarisation of the province.
The Indonesian government has said it will never let Aceh separate from Indonesia, but will give it a greater say in running its affairs.
The rebels have publicly dropped their independence demand, and now want the right to form their own regional political party to take part in elections for the provincial government.
This party issue is sensitive for Jakarta, because it is generally expected that the separatists would overwhelmingly win any free vote.
Officials at the talks said on Tuesday that representatives of the warring sides met separately with a European Union delegation and the chief mediator of the talks, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.
The peace deal under discussion is expected to include self-rule and demilitarisation of the province of 4.1 million on the northern tip of Sumatra island.
The latest phase of the Aceh conflict - which has its roots in the occupation of the previously independent sultanate by Dutch troops in 1873 - began in 1976. At least 15-thousand people have perished in the fighting.
Peace efforts collapsed in 2003, but were revived after the December 26 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 130-thousand dead in the province.
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