(17 May 2003)

New Tokyo International Airport, Chiba Prefecture
1. Austrian Airline plane docking
2. Wide shot of Zaini Abdullah, leader of the Free Aceh Movement, walking out together with other delegates
3. Mid shot of Zaini greeting APTN crew
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Zaini Abdullah, chief Aceh negotiator:
"We do not boycott this meeting but how can we attend this meeting without our delegation members from there if they don't come here?"
Q. "But if there is possibility of boycotting, then, in that case, it could lead to the completely difficult situation."
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zaini Abdullah, chief Aceh negotiator:
"It depends on Indonesian side to have this meeting because they have arrested our members there. But, for us, the door to solve this problem, the conflict in Aceh is already open. We have to show it to the international community that we are committed to come here to Tokyo."
6. Zaini and the delegates walking through terminal
7. Delegates leaving

STORYLINE:

Aceh rebel negotiators, arriving in Tokyo on Saturday for discussions aimed at salvaging a fragile peace deal, said they were ready to meet with the Indonesian government but demanded the release of five detained delegates.

Chief rebel negotiator Zaini Abdullah said the five delegates, who were arrested in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Friday as they were departing for Tokyo, must first be freed before the group would come to the negotiating table.

Police said the men were detained because they had not reported to officers before leaving the province - something they are required to do under the peace deal.

The talks aim to save a faltering December 9 peace deal in the oil-and gas-rich province of Aceh that was hailed as a landmark attempt to end a 26-year insurgency which has left 12,000 people dead.

The government insists the rebels must drop their demands for independence, lay down their weapons and accept special autonomy or face a military crackdown. The military has around 30,000 troops in the region against a poorly equipped rebel army estimated to number 3,000 to 5,000.

The Tokyo meeting is taking place after intense pressure from Indonesia's donor countries. The talks were only announced Thursday.

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть