Kupang – The Government of East Timor still did not have enough funds to reimburse the Indonesian government, state owned enterprises, and private Indonesian citizens for assets left behind in East Timor, following the 1999 ballot on independence. Despite the current situation, Indonesia would continue to make attempts to receive full restitution when the East Timorese economy returned to normal.

The Indonesian ambassador to East Timor, Ahmad Bey Sofwan, stated on Saturday (19 March), that following the formation of the Truth and Friendship Commission, he hoped that discussions could take place, leading to the full restitution of Indonesian assets. "The Indonesian government is continually making efforts [to receive restitution], but East Timor's economy is not as yet stable. From where are they going to obtain the funds to reimburse Indonesia?" said the ambassador, while accompanying the East Timor Minister for Transport, Communications and Public Works, Ovidio de Jesus Amaral, to a meeting with the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor, Piet A Tallo. [passage omitted]

[Source: BBC Monitoring.]