The Meeting between the Parties Concerned on the Aceh Issue

U.S. EMBASSY PRESS RELEASE
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 

We, Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Peace and Reconstruction in Aceh, reaffirm in the strongest possible terms our support for the COHA and the peaceful solution of the conflict in Aceh. We welcome the reaffirmation of the Indonesian government's intention to continue down the path of peaceful resolution to the conflict.

We again stress our commitment to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia and do not support attempts to challenge Indonesia's present borders. Consequently, we feel that the only appropriate solution to the conflict in Aceh must use Special Autonomy as a starting point as already agreed to by the parties.

We strongly urge both sides to refrain from recourse to armed or any other violence, which is not an effective means to bring a solution to this conflict. Japan, EU, the US and the World Bank deplore the recent violence and threats of violence directed against several of the monitoring teams and urge the GOI to take the immediate steps to ensure the physical security of monitors in the field, in close co-ordination with the JSC, of which the Government is an integral part, and urge both parties to refrain from intimidation or harassment directed at representatives of civil society. We welcome statements by National Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar that the Government of Indonesia will fulfill its responsibility to protect the monitors, investigate the recent incidents and punish those responsible. We call upon the Free Aceh Movement to immediately cease all actions that could undermine the peace process.

The COHA, with its provisions for confidence building measures, demilitarization and an all-inclusive dialogue involving all elements of Acehense society, is the only way to solve the conflict in Aceh peacefully. We stand ready to reinforce our support for that process.

The December 9th agreement has been successful so far in reducing the violence in the province. We encourage both sides to fully abide by the COHA, but, furthermore, go beyond the purely technical nature of this agreement and restart the political negotiations to find a mutually agreed upon and lasting solution to the conflict. We firmly believe that only political negotiations and concrete action towards free, fair and democratic elections in Aceh in 2004 will truly serve the interest of the people of Aceh and the integrity and stability of Indonesia.