Rod McGuirk, Darwin – East Timor President and former freedom fighter Xanana Gusmao today said he did not want to see the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya win independence.

His comments followed his Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta's advice to activists in the two trouble spots to settle for autonomy from Indonesia.

Mr Gusmao said East Timor respected Indonesian sovereignty over the two provinces while acknowledging human rights abuses.

Asked if he would like to see them independent, Mr Gusmao replied: "No". "We respect every aspiration; we would like to see a peaceful solution," he said.

"Of course as people of a country which has just come from violence and war, we would like to see more a course in dialogue, a positive approach to solve the question.

"Of course, we know what is [sic] human rights violations, but in political terms, we respect the sovereignty and integrity of Indonesia. "

He would not speculate on whether the two provinces would eventually win their independence, saying he was not a fortune-teller.

But he had reminded Indonesia that if the military had accepted his proposal for United Nations intervention in East Timor in 1983, the past 16 years would not have been wasted.

Mr Gusmao and Dr Ramos-Horta's comments on independence for Aceh and Irian Jaya appear out of step with Bishop Carlos Belo who has declared solidarity with their independence struggle.

Dr Ramos-Horta said the East Timorese had based their independence case on their separate legal status as a Portuguese colony invaded by a foreign power.

"No government in this country should ever be imprudent or foolish enough to offer sympathy or support for Papua or Aceh's quest for independence," he told Fairfax newspapers. "They should accept Jakarta's autonomy offer – it is genuine."