Associated Press in Jakarta – President Abdurrahman Wahid said on Tuesday that fighters of the separatist Free Aceh Movement group (GAM) could join the Indonesian military following a peaceful settlement of the civil war in the oil-rich region.

"We don't have a feeling of enmity against GAM members who have been forced to fight against us because of mistakes we made in the past," Mr Wahid said. Speaking after touring a marine base in south Jakarta, Mr Wahid said unfair treatment by previous governments had "forced" the rebels to take up arms. "If they want to, they can join the military once a peaceful settlement is achieved," Mr Wahid said.

Aceh, a province of 4.1 million people is located on the northern tip of Sumatra island, about 1,750km northwest of the capital Jakarta. The bloody separatist struggle in the staunchly Muslim province has cost the lives of more than 5,000 people in the past decade.

Wahid's offer came five days after an unprecedented meeting between a senior government official – State Secretary Bondan Gunawan – and rebel commander Abdullah Syafi'ie in northern Aceh. Mr Wahid has predicted that the 25-year civil war would wind down by the end of March.