East Timor's
former president Jose Ramos Horta says West Papua 'part of Indonesia'
East Timor's former president, Jose Ramos
Horta, says that he does not think an independence campaign for the Indonesian
province of West Papua will be successful.
"I don't believe in that," the now United Nations
special representative told the ABC.
"Well everything is possible in the world," he
added, "but I wouldn't advocate that.
"It is very much a part of the Republic of Indonesia.
"Solutions for the betterment of the people of West
Papua, ending any human rights abuses, economic, social exclusion of West
Papuans have to be realised in the context of Indonesian sovereignty."
Mr Ramos Horta's comments go against the calls of West
Papua's pro-independence supporters who seek to separate the region from
Indonesia.
East Timor struggled for decades for its own independence
which it achieved in 2002.
"I believe that if anyone can help redressing the
challenges and problems in West Papua would be [Indonesia's] president
Widodo," Mr Ramos Horta said.
"I would urge West Papuan elites to seize on the
opportunity with a new president to find the best possible arrangement between
Jakarta and West Papua."
Meanwhile, Mr Ramos-Horta said he believed the relationship
between Australia and East Timor was good but stressed there were differences
when it came to the neighbouring countries' borders.
"Canberra, in a very simple manner, would like to see
Timor Leste forgetting about wanting to have a maritime boundary," he
said.
"Any international attempt at litigation, at
arbitration could end today if Canberra were to signal to Timor Leste that
let's sit and settle the maritime boundary, let's draw a median line."
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