Timor has rejected a government commission's recommendation that Australia, Britain and the United States pay compensation for their part in Indonesia's 24-year occupation of East Timor.

Presenter/Interviewer: Sen Lam

Speakers: Jose Ramos Horta, East Timor's foreign minister

Ramos-Horta: When they talk about compensation to be paid by certain countries that one way or another were implicated in the violence of the 24 years, the government's response is "No" we do not believe it is realistic or even fair. The fact is that by 1999, the international community has redeemed itself. Australia, for instance, was instrumental in bringing Interfet here, in ending the violence here. Its peacekeeping forces were here and ever since, Australia has contributed significantly to peace consolidation, nation-building, economic development in this country. The same happened with Japan, with the United States, with the European countries. Talking about compensation by these countries seem to ignore the enormous effort, the generosity, the goodwill of these countries since '99, have done a lot to restore peace and freedom and dignity to the people of East Timor.

Lam: So were you surprised that Australia was listed alongside the United States and Britain, as being supporters of the Indonesian occupation of East Timor?

Ramos-Horta: That, to some extent is correct. Correct to the extent that the United States provided diplomatic backing, military assistance, helicopters, airplanes to Indonesia in its occupation of East Timor. The same happened with the U.K. Australia was one of the first few countries to recognise the annexation. But we have to view all of this in the context of the Cold War, in the seventies and eighties. We cannot see the conflict in East Timor as isolated from all of this geo-politics of the Cold War. The governments at the time, in 75 were very different ones. For me, and for my President, and my government as a whole, it's out of the question that we would even raise this issue with these countries – we will not. It would be undiplomatic, it would not be fair, it would be showing a lack of gratitude, lack of statesmanship, a lack of maturity.

Lam: So will it be accurate to say then, that interests of national reconciliation override all other considerations, including justice for victims of Indonesian excesses during its occupation of East Timor?

Ramos-Horta: No, it is not accurate to say that the national interest overrides justice, because there are different interpretations of justice. Justice is also truth-telling. It's asking for forgiveness and to be forgiven. This is what we've been trying to do in East Timor and we are trying to do in Indonesia.

Lam: And what about the Commission's recommendation that individuals be targeted, that those suspected of human rights abuses or atrocities, be handed over and their assets frozen, including some of the Indonesian generals?

Ramos-Horta: Well, these are very high-sounding statements, but the United Nations were here, from 99 to 2003, with the massive peacekeeping force. They didn't do that. So why should the East Timorese, with our own priorities and concerns, to continue to consolidate peace, reconciliation, creating jobs for our people, reducing poverty – should pretend to be a sort of Don Quixote de la Mancha of justice, in fighting the mighty Indonesian army?

Lam: What do you think has been achieved by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor?

Ramos-Horta: They have achieved tremendously, in giving the opportunity for the victims and witnesses to speak out. We are going to study, to analyse, to reflect in the personal testimony of so many people – many of us testified, and what is very important is not looking at the past in order to seek compensation or revenge. We are looking at the past to learn our own mistakes, East Timorese own mistakes, the mistakes are not only from Indonesia, and in hoping that we create conditions so that East Timorese will not fight each other again in the future.