Craig Skehan, Singapore – Australia is urging Indonesia and the United Nations to consider upgrading security in East Timor in case violence worsens after next month's planned self-determination ballot.

This follows concerns that a big pro-independence vote will result in attacks by anti-independence militia which have been covertly backed by elements of the Indonesian armed forces. An escalation of violence would also risk reprisals by anti-Jakarta guerilla forces.

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer, has been discussing security planning with his Indonesian counterpart, Mr Ali Alatas, during the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference in Singapore, and Australia has also taken the issue up at UN headquarters in New York.

And earlier this week, Mr Downer raised the question of security in talks with United States Secretary of State, Dr Madeleine Albright. He told a media conference in Singapore yesterday that despite generally improved security in East Timor there were "very significant" problems in western districts of the province.

Mr Downer welcomed the decision of the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, to continue the registration process pending setting a date for the ballot, already delayed to the weekend of August 21-22.

He said he would be speaking to Indonesia about reports of an arms build-up by anti-independence militias, including one involving the claimed transfer of 400 M-16 assault rifles.

While some allegations surrounding events in East Timor were well-founded, others proved to be inaccurate, so it was important all reports were "triple checked", he said. Mr Downer said he planned to directly raise the issue of post-vote security arrangements with Mr Alatas last night.

It was important to focus on "what will happen after the ballot takes place", Mr Downer said, but he declined to comment on the issue publicly. "I'd rather say more about that after I have had some discussions with the Indonesians rather than them reading my passionate views in the newspapers," he said. "Diplomacy is like that – I am not a commentator. It is not my job to write articles day by day expressing a view on what I think should happen."

Mr Downer described as "absurd" a press report linking Navy exercises off northern Australia to contingency plans to evacuate foreigners in the event of post-ballot bloodshed.

He is due to fly to Jakarta today and will spend Friday and Saturday in East Timor. In Jakarta, Mr Downer is scheduled to meet President B.J. Habibie, the armed forces chief, General Wiranto, and the East Timorese independence leader, Mr Xanana Gusmao, as well as presidential hopefuls, including Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri.

During what will be the first visit by an Australian foreign minister to East Timor, Mr Downer will talk to UN representatives involved in preparing for the ballot and meet community leaders who have called for an end to political violence.