1. WITH REGARD TO THE REPORTS OF THE INCIDENT IN LIQUISA, THE LOCAL MILITARY COMMANDER, ACCOMPANIED BY BISHOP BELO, HAD TODAY DIRECTLY VISITED THE SITE OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENT AND FOUND THAT SUCH REPORTS WERE TOTALLY WITHOUT FOUNDATION.

2. IT IS NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT CERTAIN PARTIES HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN A DELIBERATE AND IRRESPONSIBLE POLICY OF DISINFORMATION AIMED AT DISRUPTING THE ON-GOING EFFORTS BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL TO FIND A JUST, COMPREHENSIVE AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION TO THE QUESTION OF EAST TIMOR THROUGH THE TRIPARTITE DIALOGUE.

3. WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED WAS THE FOLLOWING:

A. ON 3-4 APRIL 1999, PRO-INDEPENDENCE AND PRO- INTEGRATION YOUTHS BECAME ENGAGED IN A HEATED EXCHANGE OF WORDS. AT 7 AM ON 5 APRIL 1999, THIS DEVELOPED INTO VIOLENCE IN WHICH THE SUPPORTERS OF THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE GROUP BURNED THE HOUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED JASINTO LOPEZ DA CRUZ AND KIDNAPPED HIS TWENTY ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND FORCEFULLY DETAINED HER AT THE HOUSE OF THE VILLAGE HEAD. AT 9.15 AM ON THE SAME DAY, THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE GROUP ESCALATED THEIR ACTION BY BURNING AND DESTROYING 8 ADDITIONAL HOUSES AND BY SEVERELY WOUNDING THE WIFE OF A POLICEMAN.

B. THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE SUPPORTERS THEN ASSEMBLED AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE LOCAL PRIEST, REVEREND RAFAEL. DURING THE EFFORTS BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY ON 6 APRIL 1999 TO RESOLVE THE MATTER, REVEREND RAFAEL EXPLAINED TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE PRO-INTEGRATION GROUP WHO HAD GATHERED OUTSIDE HIS HOME, THAT THE PRO- INDEPENDENCE GROUP INSIDE HIS RESIDENCE WERE NOT ARMED. HOWEVER, SUDDENLY SHOTS WERE FIRED FROM INSIDE THE RESIDENCE TARGETED AT THE PRO-INTEGRATION GROUP OUTSIDE. IN RESPONSE, THE PRO-INTEGRATION GROUP ENTERED THE HOUSE. AS A RESULT, PHYSICAL CLASHES ENSUED. IN ORDER TO AVOID FURTHER CASUALTIES, THE PRO-INTEGRATION GROUP WITHDREW FROM THE HOUSE.

C. HALF AN HOUR LATER, SHOTS WERE AGAIN FIRED FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE GROUP WITHIN THE RESIDENCE. IN RESPONSE, THE LOCAL POLICE INTERVENED IN ORDER TO AVOID FURTHER CLASHES.

D. THE LOCAL POLICE SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT, FIVE PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES AND APPROXIMATELY 25 SUFFERED INJURIES, INCLUDING ONE LOCAL POLICEMAN.

4. INDONESIA IS DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER THE OBVIOUS CAMPAIGN OF DISINFORMATION BEING WAGED BY CERTAIN QUARTERS SOLELY TO SATISFY THEIR NARROW POLITICAL AGENDA, PARTICULARLY AT THE PRESENT IMPORTANT STAGE OF THE DIALOGUE.

NEW YORK, APRIL 7, 1999.