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Lisbon has all but washed its hands of Timor. Admitting that the situation is totally out of control, the Portuguese have evacuated all their military and civilian personnel from the island and called for international humanitarian aid.
Commercial vessels have evacuated most non-Timorese from Dili, and Indonesian naval ships are standing by in the harbor to remove
Jakarta's consulate staff and any other persons who wishho Portuguese governor of the colonykeloton staff have moved their headquartersmall island off the coast. Lisbon haspecial envoy to visit both Jakarta and Dill to discuss what can bo done to resolve the situation.
Portugal's public calls forhave thus far been confinedassistance.ublicMonday, an Indonesian spokesmanbelieves that humanitarianbe separated from the more generalrestoring security and order. Theon Lisbon to recognize this and toLisbon apparently didand Indonesiaointto help restore order, butand Indonesia insisted that it mustfreedom of xtton. President Suhartoto publicly ask for Indonesianrestore order, but Portuguese Presidentapparently for domestichasdecided that he cannot
do so.
Indonesia's preparations for militaryhowever, have probably advanced too far to turn back now. Suharto's main concern Is to couch Indonesian intervention in terms thai will avoid accusations of territorial aggression. He will undoubtedly insist that any action Jakarta takes is intended to restore order so that the decolonization process agreed upon earlier can continue and the interests of the Timorese people can be safeguarded.
Recent world-wide publicity about the deteriorating situation in Timor and the Portu* guese evacuation of tho capital will work to Jakarta's advantage. Unilateral Indonesian action undertaken now. In the name of ending the bloodshed and with the appropriateabout territorial ambitions, will not draw sharp international criticism.
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