Agencies in Cirebon and Jakarta – Isolated and facing open defiance within the police force, President Abdurrahman Wahid said yesterday he will declare a state of emergency next Friday unless lawmakers abandon their drive to impeach him. Political opponents said if Mr Wahid went ahead with his threat, they would hold a snap impeachment hearing.

Speaking at an Islamic boarding school in West Java province, Mr Wahid repeated his demand that rival political parties agree to a compromise deal and allow him to serve out his term until 2004. "If not, on July 20 at 6pm I will declare a state of emergency," he said. Under emergency rule, Mr Wahid can dissolve the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Indonesia's highest legislative body, before it launches impeachment proceedings against him on August 1. Mr Wahid has also threatened to call early parliamentary elections.

Speaking after attending mosque in Cirebon, Mr Wahid said emergency rule would be "in line with the constitution". He said a 10-member council consisting of prominent political figures would run the country until elections next year.

Mr Wahid's ultimatum, the latest in a series of threats against the assembly, was immediately denounced by the body's chairman, Amien Rais. He warned that the assembly was prepared to go into session "within one or two hours" of any declaration of an emergency and immediately sack Mr Wahid. "If Wahid issues a decree declaring a state of emergency or dissolves the Parliament, the MPR leaders will meet one or two hours later ... and the next day we will convene a special session," Mr Rais said.

He was speaking after parliamentary leaders met for an hour following Mr Wahid's renewed emergency threat. The assembly is demanding that Mr Wahid make an accountability speech on August 1, before its 700 members decide whether to dismiss him over allegations of corruption and incompetence.

Mr Wahid yesterday said he was willing to address the assembly on matters of national importance but would not make a formal accountability speech. He said legislators must sign written guarantees that they would not move against him.

The police and military, who appear to have thrown their support behind his likely successor, Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, have repeatedly said they will not enforce a state of emergency.

Ms Megawati was quoted as telling a congress of regional party leaders that the August 1 impeachment session was inevitable. The Jakarta Post quoted her as saying: "The party has been observing the President and concluded that the special session cannot be avoided."