Adelaide – Australia has said that it will stand firm in its policy of recognizing East Timor's annexation by Indonesia while backing United Nations-sponsored talks to find a solution for the former Portuguese colony, East Timorese activist Jose Ramos Horta has said.

Ramos Horta told Lusa on Friday after meeting Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer that the talks "did not bring any progress" in Canberra's policy towards Indonesia and East Timor.

The activist said however that Downer had stressed that Australia would continue to mention East Timor human rights record during private talks with Indonesian officials as well as supporting Lisbon-Jakarta talks on the territory under the auspices of the UN.

Australia is one of the main western allies of Indonesia and is also one of the major aid donor to East Timor with US$3.16 million given last year.

Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 and annexed it one year later but the United Nations still regards Portugal as the territory's administering power.Copied from the Lusa News Agency at http://www.lusa.pt/lusanews/ Posted by Pedro T. Coelho at ptc9288@is.nyu.edu No editing made unless expressly noted with []