[Editorial page (unsigned editorials from the Times), full text.]

The Indonesian businessman Mochtar Riady, founder of a $5 billion business empire that contributed to the Democratic National Committee, met personally with President Clinton twice. His son James Riady had six meetings with the President, some of which included policy discussions about Indonesia. But the President, regrettably, had no time to meet with a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Indonesian-occupied East Timor who recently visited the United States for two weeks.

Jose Ramos-Horta is an exile from East Timor, the island Indonesia invaded in 1975 and has suffocated ever since. He shared the 1996 Nobel Prize with the Timorese Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, a conciliatory spokesman for his people at home. The firebrand Mr. Ramos-Horta, who helped found a Timor revolutionary group in the 1970's, travels widely to promote the Timorese cause.

Among other things, Mr. Ramos-Horta wants Washington to send an envoy to mediate the conflict. He would also like Washington to characterize Indonesia's occupation of East Timor as reversible.

Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island tried to arrange meetings for Mr. Ramos-Horta with President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. They were all too busy, Mr. Kennedy's staff was told. Mr. Ramos-Horta did get to make his pitch to Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck, who is in charge of human rights. The White House was obviously not eager to offer hospitality to someone who would offend the Indonesian Government. Mr. Ramos-Horta's shabby treatment shows the White House can vet guests when it wants to.