§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the purpose of the three-day visit to East Timor from 1st to 3rd November by military attachés from a number of foreign embassies in Jakarta including Britain, and by whom was it arranged; what places they visited, and what opportunities the attachés had of discussions with East Timorese in private, if any.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)The visit to East Timor at the beginning of November by defence attachés accredited in Jakarta was organised by the Indonesian Defence Ministry as the latest in a regular series of attachés visits to outlying areas. As well as Dili, the attachés visited irrigation and resettlement projects at Seisal and Hera respectively, and the cemetery at Santa Cruz. There was no opportunity for private discussion with East Timorese, but the attachés briefly met Xanana Gusmao's former political adviser Mauhunu, and his former operations officer, Mahudu.