Strasbourg – The European Parliament on Thursday urged the European Union to speak out against the Indonesian government, which it accused of stepping up repression in the run-up to national elections on May 29.

"The European Parliament urges the (EU) to express their concern about the human rights situation in Indonesia in general and about the silencing of the opposition and the undemocratic way that elections are carried out in particular," the EU assembly said in a resolution.

The move comes only days after international human rights organisation Amnesty International called for the unconditional release from prison of members of Indonesia's opposition People's Democratic Party and insisted that the maintenance of public order "should not be at the expense of basic freedoms."

The EU parliament resolution, which is non-binding, urged the government of President Suharto to accept independent monitoring of the elections.

Euro-deputies insisted the 15-member EU bloc should raise human rights concerns in talks with the Association of South East Asian Nations, of which Indonesia is a leading member.

"Trade relations with ASEAN states should be subject to respect for human rights and...these two matters cannot be discussed separately," the resolution said.

The EU has a trade and aid agreement with ASEAN but talks on a more wide-ranging pact have been stalled by ASEAN reticence to accept the EU demand for the inclusion of a human rights clause.

The parliament reiterated its demands for the Jakarta authorities to "end torture and executions" both in Indonesia and the annexed territory of East Timor, and for the EU states to stop all military assistance and arms sales to Indonesia.

Last month, the parliament hosted a ceremony at which East Timorese Nobel peace prize laureate Ramos Horta presented two British women with a peace medal for disabling a British fighter plane destined for delivery to Jakarta.

Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony of East Timor in December 1975 and still maintains a heavy military presence there. It unilaterally annexed the territory in July 1976 in an act not recognised by the United Nations.