Jakarta – President Jusuf Habibie has no plans to change Indonesia's policy on the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, the Jakarta Post reported on Tuesday.

"The president gave the message that no matter who the president is, the position of Indonesia on the issue of East Timor remains unchanged," Indonesia's ambassador-at-large for East Timor Lopez da Cruz was quoted as saying after a meeting with Habibie on Monday.

Indonesia invaded East Timor in December 1975 after Portugal had abandoned its colony just north of Australia the previous year.

Jakarta then declared East Timor its 27th province in defiance of the United Nations, which still regards Portugal as the administering power. A small band of guerrillas has conducted an armed resistance in the territory since the invasion.

Indonesia and Portugal have made no apparent progress in years of U.N. sponsored talks over East Timor's status.

After the Habibie government began freeing some political prisoners, speculation has focused on the possible release of East Timor guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao from a Jakarta prison.

But da Cruz said Indonesia's position remained that Gusmao, serving a 20-year sentence for undermining the state and possessing illegal weapons, was convicted on criminal charges and not eligible for release.

The Jakarta Post quoted Justice Minister Muladi as saying the government planned within one week to release 15 East Timorese arrested for staging anti-Indonesia demonstrations.