Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Aceh Peace Talks

The Secretary-General welcomes the signing today in Helsinki of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement. He applauds both parties for reaching a peaceful settlement of the dispute through dialogue. He commends Mr. Martti Ahtisaari for the mediation role that he played throughout the negotiation process.

The Secretary-General is pleased to learn that the MoU is a comprehensive agreement, covering a wide array of issues ranging from the governing of Aceh and security arrangements to human rights issues. He sincerely hopes that the MoU will be implemented in full, so that a lasting peace can prevail in Aceh after nearly thirty years of conflict there. The people in Aceh deserve a peaceful future.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for both parties to demonstrate continued resolve and commitment throughout the implementation of the MoU. In this connection, he is encouraged to learn that monitors from the European Union and a number of ASEAN countries are being deployed as of today to Aceh as a part of the Aceh Monitoring Mission.