The Indonesian government said Wednesday it doesn't rule out a possibility of reopening talks with leaders of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who live in exile in Sweden.
"We are open to suggestion of sitting together with GAM to talk about reconciliation and seek an end for the Aceh conflict," Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told a press conferenc.
"We hope at the end of this month we can arrange a meeting between GAM and the Indonesian government. I cannot say where and when (the meeting will be held) because we are still in the process for that," he said.
GAM leaders in Sweden have "responded positively" for further talks with the government, he added.
"Conflicts and the tsunami disaster have severely worsened the suffering of the Aceh people. We must fully restore security and political stability in Aceh," said Hassan.
GAM has been struggling for an Islamic state in Aceh since 1976led by exiled leaders Hasan Tiro, Malik Mahmud and Zaini Abdullah who have obtained Swedish citizenship.
In May 2003, then President Megawati Soekarnoputri imposed a martial law in Aceh to crush the rebellion and Aceh was still under the civilian emergency status when it was struck by an earthquake triggered tsunami that left over 110,000 people dead on Dec. 26, 2004.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2005)
