Banda Aceh – Indonesia's President yesterday pitched his proposal for an amnesty for separatist rebels to bring peace to Aceh during a one-day trip to the oil- and gas-rich region, his first since taking office.

Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held discussions with hundreds of government officials, religious leaders and others in the provincial city of Banda Aceh amid tight security. But he did not meet rebels from the Free Aceh Movement or civic groups that espouse independence.

The trip is Dr Yudhoyono's first to the province since becoming president last month. He has said he will make ending the Aceh conflict one of his priorities.

The conflict has festered under successive presidents since fighting between separatist rebels and government troops broke out in 1976. At least 13,000 people have been killed.

Presidential visits to the province are relatively rare. Dr Yudhoyono's predecessor, Ms Megawati Sukarnopuri, visited three times in more than three years.

Dr Yudhoyono offered an amnesty last week to separatist militants in Aceh if they drop their bid for independence and return to the "family" of Indonesia, but the rebels rejected the offer quickly.

He said the government's proposal – which mirrors earlier peace plans dating back to 1999 – would include increased autonomy and an unspecified amount of economic assistance. "If [the rebels] are willing to accept the special autonomy, then it is the obligation of the government to talk to the Parliament about giving them amnesty," he said after his discussions yesterday.

Foreign negotiators have predicted that he will reopen peace talks with the rebels. The 55-year-old retired general was instrumental in arranging a short-lived truce with the Free Aceh Movement in December 2002 when he was security minister.

However, he has not said whether the offer means the government will revive the peace process, which was abandoned in May last year after both sides accused the other of violating the six-month pact.