Banda Aceh – The Indonesian government and separatist rebels in Aceh have agreed to work together to implement a one-month truce in the violence-wracked province, a joint statement obtained yesterday said.

The statement said the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the government would form a working group to support the one-month moratorium on violence. This was a reaffirmation from both sides to renounce violence and seek a democratic and peaceful solution to their decades-old conflict, it said.

"Both sides agreed to form a working committee whose membership will be designated by their respective leaders, with the task of preparing various concepts related to security affairs and democratic consultations," it added.

Work on the committee would begin at a meeting in Geneva from February 12 to 14, said the statement, signed by government representative Ridhwan Karim and GAM's Teungku Nashiruddin bin Ahmed.

The formation of the committee was one of the points agreed at a meeting in Switzerland last week between representatives from both camps. That meeting agreed on the one-month truce in Aceh, which began on January 15, although violence has erupted since then.

Police allegedly shot dead a man in Aceh on Saturday after he attempted to escape arrest during a police round-up. However, an Aceh police spokesman said no such operation took place.