Christine Tjandraningsih, Jakarta – Indonesian military officials rejected claims Friday troops are planning to initiate violence in East Timor to scuttle a scheduled autonomy plebiscite for the territory and upcoming ministerial talks in New York.

A military statement released Friday said, "The Indonesian Armed Forces has no interest in any disturbances, instability or bloodshed in East Timor, for these will directly affect the well-being and safety of the East Timorese people and also the armed forces personnel stationed there."

The statement was made in response to a comment by Ana Gomes, head of the Portuguese interest section in Jakarta, which said the armed forces are "determined to undermine the Indonesian government's position announced on Jan. 27 and seek to boycott a UN consultation in East Timor."

The interest section serves the functions of an embassy between Portugal and Indonesia because the two countries have no full diplomatic ties.

The military statement said the accusations were "baseless," "false" and "wholly speculative. The accusation made by the head of the Portuguese interest section is wholly speculative and without a shred of evidence," the armed forces statement said.

"Such behavior runs counter to the spirit and task of her mission, which is to cultivate confidence and develop better relations between two countries," it continued.

The armed forces also urged Gomes "to refrain from making wild accusations against the armed forces and to cease from entertaining false personal suspicions."

"It is precisely this kind of attitude that would do harm and pollute the atmosphere of the peace process in New York and on the ground in East Timor," it said.