Jakarta – Indonesia's national assembly early on Wednesday ratified the results of East Timor's independence vote, clearing the way for the territory's freedom from the country that invaded it in 1975.

Assembly chairman Amien Rais said the historic decree recognizing the August 30 vote was cleared by representatives of all factions of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and were approved by the floor. No vote was taken.

Passage of the decree, which will pave way for the takeover by an interim United Nations administration in the former Portuguese colony, had been delayed from Tuesday because of a vote on President B.J. Habibie's performance in office.

Habibie had earlier urged the assembly not to delay ratification of the vote, warning that Indonesia faced further international isolation if it did.

Under the terms of an agreement between Indonesia and Portugal, the territory's old colonial masters, reached at the UN in New York on May 5, the MPR was due to nullify a decree enacted in 1978 formalizing the integration of East Timor as Indonesia's 27th province.

The new decree passed Wednesday will recognize the results of the August 30 referendum. A transitional UN administration will run East Timor prior to full independence, preparations for which are already under way.

In Dili, the capital of East Timor, an AFP reporter said the remaining Indonesian troops has been loading their belongings on landing craft at the port in apparent anticipation of the formal recognition of the territory's independence.

Discussions were also underway in Dili betwween the UN and a 31- man Indonesian task force, which arrived at the weekend, on details of the handover of Indonesian state property to the UN adminstration.

A UN Mission in East Timor spokesman told AFP in Dili: "There's some suggestion that the final element of the TNI [Indonesian armed forces] may be withdrawn soon after the vote.

"We'll remain in close contact with the TNI commander in Dili. He will advise us to the time of the withdrawal." Some 1,500 Indonesian troops remain in the territory.

One of the seven chapters of the new East Timor draft decree said it would "not invalidate the actions or all forms of state honor to fighters and officials given during the period that the East Timor territory was united with the Republic of Indonesia according to national laws".

It also stated that recognition of the poll results would not diminish the rights of East Timorese who opted to remain loyal to Indonesia. The draft also tasked the new president with providing protection, in cooperation with international agencies, for East Timorese following the ballot, and assigned him or her to take the necessary legal steps regarding the citizenship of pro-Indonesia East Timorese.

It also asked the president to work with the lower house to take further constitutional steps to settle the East Timor question.