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UP FOR ADOPTION
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 wish to go. The Portuguese governor of the colonykeleton staff have moved their headquartersmall island off the coast. Lisbon haspecial envoy to visit both Jakarta and Dili lo discuss what can be done to resolve the situation.
Portugal's public calls for international intervention have thus far been confined to humanitarian assistance.ublic statement on Monday, an Indonesian spokesman said Jakarta believes that humanitarian assistance cannot be separated from the more general task of restoring security and order. The statement called on Lisbon to recognize this and to act accordingly. Lisbon apparently did consult Australia and Indonesiaoint military effort to help restore order, but Australia refused and Indonesia insisted that it must have full freedom of action. President Suharto wants Lisbon to publicly ask for Indonesian assistance to restore order, but Portuguese President Costa Gomes, apparently for domestic'ecided tf-jt he cannot do so. ^
Indonesia's preparations for militaryhowever, havo probably advanced too far to turn back now. Suharto's main concern is to couch Indonesian intervention in terms that 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 theevacuation of the 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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