Jakarta – East Timor's Peace and Stability Commission began Wednesday a series of meetings aiming to define a code of conduct for rival factions before, during and after the half-island's August 8 autonomy-or-independence plebiscite

Wednesday's five-hour meeting was held at the Indonesian Justice Ministry in Jakarta and counted the presence of the detained East Timor resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao. Gusmao did not speak to reporters after the talks and returned to the Jakarta residence where he is held under house arrest. The talks will resume Thursday

Gusmao was accompanied to the meeting by Leandro Isaac, the resistance representative in Dili, the East Timor capital. Others present at the encounter were Joko Sugianto and Kusparmono Irsand of the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (Komans HAM); the UN secretary-general's special envoy for East Timor, Tamrat Samuel; the vice-chief of the territory's Indonesian police, Col. Musafi Sahuji; and Domingos Soares and Gabriel da Costa of the territory's pro-Indonesia Forum for Unity, Democracy and Justice (FPDK)

Sugianto later told reporters that disarmament was not discussed, as both sides (pro-and anti-independence) are tentatively prepared to deal with the issue

Earlier, Gusmao lawyer Johnson Panjaitan told Lusa that the Commission would also discuss the next East Timor reconciliation talks, known as Dare II, which are being organized by the territory's two Catholic bishops, though a date has yet to be announced

The Peace and Stability Commission is sponsored by Komans HAM It was founded on April 20 following an agreement between resistance forces and supporters of integration (within Indonesia), signed in the presence of Indonesia's defense minister and armed forces chief, Gen. Wiranto.