EAST TIMOR GUSMAO BIDS FAREWELL TO INDONESIAN TROOPS

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(30 Oct 1999) English/Nat • • In an extraordinary farewell gesture, East Timor's top rebel leader clasped hands and talked intently with Indonesian military leaders in a lounge at the Dili airfield on Saturday. • • Indonesian forces started leaving East Timor after occupying the territory for 24 years. • • In his effort to leave the past behind, Jose Alexandre Xanana Gusmao said goodbye to some of Indonesia's military officers, part of the same forces who had him arrested and imprisoned. • • Top humanitarian, peacekeeping and U-N officials, including Ian Martin, head of U-N-A-M-E-T (United Nations Mission in East Timor) were at the farewell meeting, along with watchful Australian soldiers. • • The 53-year-old guerrilla commander was looking toward the future. • • He called the bloody battling over East Timor a mistake between two countries. • • Indonesia has effectively relinquished its claim to East Timor, which was left ravaged by a wave of violence surrounding its independence referendum on August 30. • • When asked if he was sad to go, an Indonesian soldier immediately didn't struggle with the answer. • • SOUNDBITE: (English) • I will see my family my girlfriend and the others. • (Reporter) Are you sad to leave? • Not sad. • SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Indonesian soldier • • The departure of the Indonesian troops had been considered imminent since a United Nations transition team formally took control of East Timor earlier this week. • • The U-N is to oversee the transition to independence for the territory, which will probably take two or three years. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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