Indonesia has extended its aid programs to some 70,000 East Timorese refugees by one month to the end of January, allowing them more time to decide between repatriation and resettlement in other parts of the country.

The military commander of Indonesian West Timor, Major-General Willem da Costa, made the decision public Thursday.

"The decision was taken for humanitarian reasons in the hope that the refugees will decide by the end of January whether they want to stay in Indonesia or return to East Timor", the daily "Jakarta Post" quoted da Costa as saying.

Months ago Jakarta announced it would cease providing aid and close the remaining refugee camps in West Timor at the end of this year.

Da Costa said that refugees opting for resettlement would be moved to neighboring Kalimantan, where Jakarta has reserved 11,000 hectares of arable land under an euros 3.5 million program.

East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao recently visited West Timor, where he urged the remaining refugees to return home, promising them a warm welcome and reintegration.