New York, Friday: East Timor voted overwhelmingly to break its ties with Indonesia in favour of independence, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced here tonight.

More than 23 years after Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony, the voters rejected wide-ranging autonomy within Indonesia by 78.5 percent, he said.

"There are no winners or losers," Annan told a hushed open meeting of the U.N. Security Council. East Timor will not become independent immediately.

Indonesia's legislature must implement the result of the ballot, and it is not expected to meet until November. Then, Indonesia would turn over responsibility for East Timor to the United Nations.

Jose Ramos Horta, East Timor's Nobel Peace Prize winner and independence leader, has said the United Nations should run the territory during a three-year transition to independence.

Timorese voters selected between two choices on the ballot: "Do you accept the proposed special autonomy for East Timor within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia?" or "Do you reject the proposed special autonomy for East Timor, leading to East Timor's separation from Indonesia?"

Annan said 94,388 voters, or 21.5 percent, checked the box which accepted autonomy. He said 344,580, or 78.5 percent, checked the box which rejected autonomy.

There were 446,953 ballots cast and 438,968 were valid.

"The people of East Timor have thus rejected the proposed special autonomy and expressed their wish to begin a process of transition towards independence," Annan said.

Violence has escalated since Indonesian President B.J. Habibie offered to grant East Timor independence if voters rejected autonomy.

Anti-independence militias have been rampaging through the territory, forcing thousands to flee and killing civilians and U.N. staff. Calls for a UN peacekeeping force have been increasing.

"Today, I ask all parties to bring to an end the violence which for 24 years has caused untold suffering to East Timor," Annan said.

Under the May 5 agreement signed by Indonesia and Portugal which authorized the United Nations to organize the Aug. 30 ballot, Indonesia remains responsible for security until the legislature meets in November.

Annan urged the Indonesian government to ensure the successful culmination of the ballot by carrying out its responsibility to maintain law and order.

"After 24 years of conflict, East Timor now stands on the threshold of what we all hope will be a process of orderly and peaceful transition towards independence," he said.

"The coming days, however, will require patience and calm from the people of East Timor. I hardly need stress how important it is for its leaders to exercise wisdom and reason," Annan said.

He urged all parties to seize the opportunity to lay the foundation for an era of peace and stability for all future generations of East Timorese.

"Those who voted to accept the proposed special autonomy must not consider this outcome a loss. Nor indeed should the majority consider it a victory; for there are no winners and no losers today. Rather, this moment heralds the opportunity for all East Timorese to begin to forge together a common future in what is to become an independent East Timor."