The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, yesterday told top Indonesian officials of his concerns about violence erupting in East Timor during the limbo period after a ballot on its future.
Mr Downer has called the period of at least two months between the August 30th vote and Jakarta's decision on whether to accept the results the "most dangerous" phase of the ballot. This period is known as "phase two".
He added that the UN could call in police reinforcements after East Timor's independence vote if violence erupts during phase two.
"I used this visit as an opportunity to register our concerns about phase two," he said yesterday after meeting President B.J. Habibie of Indonesia and the head of the armed forces, Gen Wiranto. East Timorese are due to vote on whether to accept or reject an offer of autonomy under Indonesian rule or to push for independence.
Mr Downer said he had held lengthy talks with Gen Wiranto on the importance of disarming both the Falintil pro-independence guerillas and pro-Indonesian militia before the August 30th vote.
Violence has already flared in the territory between the factions since Jakarta said it would let go of East Timor if its people rejected autonomy.
Gen Wiranto, who is also Defence Minister, had assured him that Indonesia's security forces would not pull out after the referendum if the vote was for independence. However, he also told Mr Downer that during the next phase of the process to decide the territory's future, he "does not want to see his soldiers and police at risk".
Under the agreement for the UN-conducted vote drawn up by Portugal and Indonesia at the United Nations in May, Indonesian police are responsible for security.
Australia is heavily involved in providing logistics support and personnel for the UN Assistance Mission in East Timor. If the vote is for independence, the new People's Consultative Assembly, scheduled to meet in November to select a new president and vice president, would be presented with the choice of ratifying or rejecting the result of the ballot.
Mr Downer said that during talks with the Indonesian opposition leader, Ms Megawati Sukarn oputri, in Jakarta on Wednesday, she had been "non-commital" over whether her party would ratify the vote.
However, Ms Megawati said yesterday she would accept the outcome of the referendum. "It is not my intention whatsoever not to respect the decision of the people of East Timor," Ms Megawati said in a nationally televised speech.
Meanwhile, violence continued yesterday between ethnic communities in two other areas of Indonesia.