Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta has expressed regret for publicly accusing Indonesian elements of being involved in an assassination attempt against him, the neighboring country's prime minister said here Tuesday.
Xanana Gusmao said Horta had requested him to convey his regrets over the statements to the media about individuals who facilitated the entry of Timor Lester armed rebel leader Alfredo Reinado into Indonesia for an interview with MetroTV.
However, Xanana did not say if Horta withdrew his statements. Horta specifically mentioned MetroTV presenter Desi Anwar as being among the accused Indonesian elements.
"I'm going to have a meeting with Desi Anwar to talk about this issue very frankly and to convey the regret over the statement," Xanana said at a joint press briefing after a bilateral meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
"Bapak President (Yudhoyono) showed a very comprehensive political behavior, inviting and accepting us here to gather and talk about many issues," he said.
Xanana asked Indonesians to consider and understand the condition of Horta, who had just emerged from a two-week coma after the assassination attempt.
Yudhoyono said he appreciated Horta's regret and Xanana's plan to meet Desi to settle the row.
"In the beginning of our meeting I expressed my annoyance concerning President Ramos-Horta's statement about the involvement of Indonesian individuals, including Desi Anwar. I hope both of us can solve this problem well in a friendly manner," the President said.
"After hearing the explanation from Prime Minister Xanana, we expect that this problem will not spark more misunderstanding between us and will not disrupt our bilateral relationship."
Yudhoyono said the Indonesian police and Timor Leste's attorney general's office were maintaining their cooperation to bring the perpetrators of the attempted assassination to court.
"Thanks to the cooperation and professionalism of the law enforcers, four persons allegedly implicated in the incident have been arrested," he said.
National Police chief Gen. Sutanto said his office would immediately extradite four Timor Leste military deserters who were recently arrested for their alleged involvement in the assassination attempt.
About the recent surrender of Gastao Salsinha, who took over the command of Timor Leste's rebel group after Reinado's death during the attack, Xanana said his government would entrust the legal process to the law enforcers.
"The situation in Timor Leste has recovered after the shooting incident, the result of good coordination among state institutions, and we appreciate the good work of our police," he said.
Xanana said the government would avoid violence against the rebel group and would allow the court to settle the case.