Talks on East Timor to resume Jan. 28

JAKARTA: The next round of talks on autonomy for East Timor is scheduled for January 28 and is expected to last about a week, Antara said on Saturday.

The news agency quoted UN spokesman Fred Eckhard as saying the session "is a continuation of the tripartite talks -- Indonesia, Portugal and the United Nations -- that were held in November".

The UN secretary-general's special envoy for East Timor, Jamsheed Marker, said after a December visit to the former Portuguese colony that an agreement was imminent.

Jakarta has said it is prepared to concede autonomy to East Timor on the condition that the international community recognize the integration of the province.

Some East Timor leaders accept the principle of autonomy on the condition that the East Timorese can have a say in their fate in the form of a referendum.