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TRAVEL PAPERS
not aid
2 refugees
The Netherlands Government- has
refused to help two West 1 Irianese politicians
obtain documents enabling them
to travel overseas.
The
refusal
was
received
in
Port
Moresby
yesterday
morning
by
telegram
from the Netherlands
Ambassador
in Canberra.
The telegram was addressed
to Madang
planter and Member
lor Sumkar in the
House of Assembly, Mr
John Middleton.
On June 26, Mr
Middleton sent telegrams
to the Dutch
Prime Minister in Holland
and also to their
ambassador in Canberra.
He asked that con-
sideration be given to
.supplying travel documents
to the politicians
— Clemens Runaweri
and Wilhelm Zonggonao.
Both men went to
travel to New York so
that they can present
a petition and other
documents to the United
Nations.
The cable received by
Mr Middleton's attorney
stated: "Your cable on
26 June, Netherlands
Government unable to
fulfill yoiir request as
Runaweri and Zonggonao
do not possess
Netherlands nationality
and are not temporary
residents on Netherlands
territory.''
The . cable was signed
— "Zelystra, Netherlands
a m b ass a do r,
Canberra."
This now limits the
number of avenues
open to the two men to
obtain travel documents
to go overseas.
They are the United
States Government and
the Australian Government.
The Australian Government
has already
announced that the
men are not eligible
for Australian passports.
Yesterday morning
the Department of the
Administrator irj Port
Moresby received applications
to travel from
both men.
The men, now resident
on Manus Island,
applied through the
District Commissioner
at Lorengau for permission
to fly to Port
Moresby.
An Administration
spokesman said that
these applications
would be telgrammed
to the Administrator,
Mr Hay, who is now
visiting Rabaul.
As permissive resi-
dents, the men cannot
travel inside the Territory
without the approval
of the Administrator.
Meanwhile, a second
liaison meeting between
border post officials
will be conducted at
Sotar on the southern
border sector in West
Irian.
The assistant district
officer at Weam, Mi-
Arthur Marks, will meet
with his West Irian
counterparts to discuss
any problems that may
have come up.
A second conference
between-Australian and
Indonesian officials will
be held in Jayapura
next Tuesday.
•Representing the Administration
will be
senior District Administration
. official, Mr
Royce Webb.
Mr Webb attended
the first conference in
company with another
P
Q
W
district administration
official, Mr Ken Brown.
It is believed that the
same arrangements — A
such as using Vanimo jA
as a night base — will'A
applied as before. 'B
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