Radio New Zealand International

Posted at 08:19 on 13 July, 2004 UTC

Indonesia says annexation of Papua fair and final after US release declassified documents

The Indonesian Government says Papua province is an inseparable part of the country and the 1969

United Nations sanctioned vote to integrate was final and can not be reversed.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Marty Natalegawa, was commenting on newly declassified

documents released at the weekend showing that the US gave its support to President Suharto’s takeover.

He annexed the province after just over a thousand selected Papuan community leaders voted for integration in a poll overseen by the UN.

The vote was later dismissed as a sham by observers.

One member of parliament, Djoko, has asked why America has released the documents now, accusing it of trying to create instability in the country.

He says the vote for integration was democratic and fair.