London - European Union states, including the former colonial power in East Timor, Portugal, expressed doubts yesterday that martial law would halt the bloodshed there and called for international intervention.
The Portuguese Foreign Minister, Mr Jaime Gama, said martial law could be useful if - by failing - it helped speed the sending of an international peacekeeping force to East Timor.
"We are sceptical about the opportunity being given to the army to control the situation," Mr Gama said. "It was behind many of the acts of violence because it helped form the militias," he added.
The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, speaking in Japan, said it was vital the world agreed on what form of international action to take.
Mr Cook would not be drawn on whether he favoured sanctions or a peacekeeping force, saying the aim was to stop the killing quickly - and with Jakarta's blessing.
He said that suspending financial aid to Indonesia would not help solve the crisis in East Timor.
In Paris, a French foreign ministry spokeswoman said: "If the violence continued in East Timor, then we would have to examine all possible options for international intervention within the framework of the UN Security Council."