High Commissioner in Indonesia and East Timor

High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers is in Jakarta today. Together with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he met with President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Mr. Lubbers is also meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda and various other Indonesian government and U.N. officials, as well as members of the diplomatic corps.

Mr. Lubbers leaves Jakarta tonight for East Timor, where he is scheduled to meet Saturday with President-elect Xanana Gusmão and to visit returnee communities. Together with the Secretary-General, other world leaders and dignitaries, Mr. Lubbers will participate in East Timor's independence ceremonies on Sunday night, marking the emergence of East Timor as the world's newest nation. UNHCR has helped return more than 207,000 East Timorese refugees. Some 50,000 refugees remain outside the country, mainly in neighbouring Indonesian West Timor.