Gusmao agrees to talks on E Timor plan

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's plan for East Timor to become a regional refugee
processing hub has received a boost, with Xanana Gusmao agreeing to further
discussions on the proposal.
As Ms Gillard on Thursday again spoke of her determination to see her vision become
a reality, the tiny nation's prime minister confirmed his government would consider
the plan in greater detail.
The development came after support for the idea appeared to be foundering just days
after it was announced, with East Timorese politicians continuing to express
reservations.
But Mr Gusmao indicated he was sympathetic to the plan, pointing to the assistance
given to East Timor during its conflict with Indonesia in 1999 when thousands of
refugees were taken in by Australia.
"We cannot say whether we accept or whether we don't accept it, but in principle, on
a humanitarian basis, we have to participate," Mr Gusmao said.
"We have an obligation at least to discuss, at least to debate the problems.
"We were refugees in other countries and also in our own country."
East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta, with whom Ms Gillard first raised the idea on
Monday night, will be his country's point man in the discussions.
"We are waiting for a concrete plan from the Australian government to talk to the
president," Mr Gusmao said.
"We are open to discussions. Now we can only wait for further contact between prime
minister Julia (Gillard) and the president."
Ms Gillard, who has not yet spoken to Mr Gusmao about her proposal, announced in a
speech on Tuesday that she will discuss the plan with the East Timorese prime
minister in the coming days.
The prime minister remains firm on the direction of her asylum seeker policy.
"This is an idea for a regional processing centre that has been raised and
considered for some time," she told reporters in Brisbane.
"What's new is my determination to relentlessly pursue it."
But the prime minister has also stepped back from her Timor solution, suggesting
another country could be home to a regional processing centre if the emerging nation
rejected the plan.
"I did outline a vision and the vision was for a regional processing centre and that
is important because it completely undercuts the people smuggling market because
they no longer have a product to sell.
"I'm not going to leave, undisturbed, the impression that I made an announcement
about a specific location."
Despite Ms Gusmao sounding a more positive note towards the plan, many other East
Timorese politicians, including members of the prime minister's own party, are
resisting the proposal.
Adérito Hugo da Costa said he did not support the idea, regardless of whether it
resulted in a financial windfall for East Timor.
"The issue is how we have time to look at (other countries') problems, rather than
look at our own people's problems," Mr da Costa said.
East Timor's main opposition Fretilin party also refused to support the proposal.
"I think Timor should reject the proposal, simply because there is no condition in
Timor to do that ... economic and social conditions ... we are one of the poorest
countries in the region," Fretilin vice-president Arsénio Bano said.
Ms Gillard also rejected claims by opposition customs spokesman Michael Keenan that
confirmation of the arrival of the latest asylum seeker boat was delayed so as not
to detract from her speech.
The boat carrying 43 asylum seekers was intercepted west of the Ashmore Islands on
Tuesday but Home Affairs did not release the information until the following day.
"They covered up this information and they didn't release it till well after ... 24
hours after this illegal boat had arrived," Mr Keenan said.
"This is media spin at its worst."
Ms Gillard said the timing of announcements about boats being intercepted was
determined by various operational procedures.

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