Jakarta – Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has postponed a September 2 visit to rebellious Aceh province, an official said, citing technical reasons. "The proposal is for the fifth and sixth or eighth and ninth," Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh told reporters on Friday. Asked the reason, he replied: "Technical matters ... preparations."

Chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who travelled to the violence-torn territory two weeks ago also declined to give any reason for the delay. But he said Megawati would maintain the so-called "security approach," which many have criticised for worsening rather than calming the violence in Aceh. "The operation to recover security must be performed to halt the GAM separatists, repair the economic facilities and create a conducive situation for further steps," he said.

Many analysts say the hardline tactics are actually encouraging Acehnese support for GAM or the Free Aceh movement. But Yudhoyono said the president was also keen to continue investigations into alleged human rights abuses by the Indonesian security forces.

The trip to Aceh would be Megawati's first to the resource-rich province since becoming president last month. Indonesia has offered special autonomy to appease the Acehnese who have suffered for more than two decades of violence, much of it at the hands of the military. The violence in Aceh has surged this year with more than 1,500 people, mostly civilians, killed.

pported the fledgling country. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, coordinating minister for politics and security, said comments by President Megawati Sukarnoputri had made it clear "that Indonesia honors the process in East Timor and has so far contributed to it".

He told reporters: "[East Timor] can do anything as long as it is democratic and fair and does not run counter to Indonesia's interests."