---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Indonesian military ready to ensure security after East Timor vote JAKARTA, Aug 12 (AFP) - Indonesia's armed forces will respect the result of East Timor's ballot and ensure security even if voters choose independence over autonomy, armed forces chief General Wiranto said Thursday. "We do not want any peacekeeping force entering our territory," Wiranto added, refering to calls by some observer and rights groups for a UN peacekeeping force after the ballot. Even though the army has been fighting alongside pro-integrationists for 23 years in East Timor, it will respect the outcome of the August 30 vote, he said. "If the anti-integration win on the 30th... we will respect the international agreement," Wiranto said. He said the military would ensure security in the "critical" period between polling day and a November meeting of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly to decide whether to accept the outcome of the polls. The military has been widely accused of supporting pro-integration militias responsible for widespread violence in the territory in recent months. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday described the period between the ballot and that session as "delicate." He recommended the doubling in size of UN unarmed civilian police and military liaison forces in East Timor. Some 450,000 East Timorese in the territory and abroad are expected to vote on whether they accept or reject an offer from Jakarta of broad autonomy under the Indonesian flag. Jakarta has said it may set free the former Portuguese colony it invaded in 1975 if the autonomy offer is rejected. Saturday will see the start of campaigning before the ballot. It will end on August 27. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 12 Aug 1999 jam 12:57:39 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
