East Timor troop reduction

East Timor troop reduction

CANBERRA (Reuter): Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said yesterday his government was considering reducing its troop numbers in East Timor, the former Portuguese colony that became the country's 27th province in 1975.

Indonesia was looking at "measures" in relation to East Timor, Alatas said when asked whether the territory might gain autonomy.

"Reduction of troops has been one of the issues that we have discussed, yes," he said on Australia's SBS television network. "There has been an impression as if there are too many troops in East Timor, as compared to other provinces."

"Now, there is a reason for that: There has been some fighting in the past."

Foreign military sources estimate Indonesia has 7,000 to 10,000 soldiers in the territory, a figure Jakarta rejects.

Alatas said it was wrong to speak of a troop withdrawal, since Indonesia stationed soldiers throughout its territory, just like any other country.

The minister did not elaborate on the measures Indonesia was considering for East Timor, whose integration with Indonesia is not recognized by the United Nations. But he rejected the suggestion the province might gain some sort of autonomy.

"Already now the province of East Timor enjoys a wide autonomy, wider in fact in some aspects as compared to other provinces," he said.

Indonesia's official Antara news agency said in December that Jakarta had no plans to boost its military presence in the territory, where sporadic resistance to the Indonesia occupation continues.

The Fretilin resistance movement's dwindling band of guerrillas has fought for East Timorese independence since the invasion. Their numbers were estimated last year at around 200.