Sydney – Australia would not sanction its own investigation into war crimes in East Timor, Defence Minister John Moore said Sunday.

Australian lawyers are planning to head to East Timor as part of an International Committee of Jurists investigation into alleged atrocities.

The move has angered Jakarta and prompted Indonesia's Justice Miniser Muladi to threaten a complete break in ties between the two countries.

Moore said Sunday any investigation of war crimes should be left to the United Nations. "I don't see any reason why we should do anything but act in accordance with the United Nations," he told the Channel Nine television. "And if they [UN] do that [hold an investigation] well then I don't see any reason why it should cause concern."