In a final bid to salvage Aceh's shaky peace pact and avert war, separatist rebels have agreed to meet with the Indonesian Government in Tokyo this weekend. The decision by the separatist Free Aceh Movement comes after an emergency late-night meeting between Japan, the European Union, the US and Indonesia's top security minister. It's hoped the meeting will iron out the growing differences over the five month old peace pact, which is on the verge of collapse following a recent upsurge in violence.

Presenter/Interviewer: Linda LoPresti

Speakers: Mohammed Nur, a spokesman for the Free Aceh Movement leadership in exile

Nur: We understand from the US embassy in Stockholm, [they] informed us that the Tokyo club requested both parties to attend their meeting in Tokyo. So we immediately agreed because this is the request from the international community to prevent further bloodshed, this is what we want. We have always, our position that we don't act on ultimatums; if there is sabre-rattling, then that's it, no talk.

Lopresti: You say that it's not about ultimatums, but just this week Jakarta gave GAM two days to get their act together otherwise it was threatening ... ?

Nur: Yeah they are always issuing ultimatums on the matter, you know. Every time they issue a statement it's an ultimatum, "You come before 12, you come before 10, you come before the 30th, you come to Jakarta, you come to Aceh." Yeah, so it's an ultimatum, but our position is always clear that we don't care whatever ultimatum, we don't act on that you know, we don't even respond to it, it's childish.

Lopresti: So what is GAM bringing to the negotiating table?

Nur: We are going to talk about COHA, how to implement COHA?

Lopresti: Sorry that's the peace pact that was signed in December?

Nur: The cessation of hostilities agreement, we feel that it's not only a good agreement, it's an agreement that has brought peace for at least three months in Aceh until it was wrecked by the militia, by the attack against civil society, and we are fully committed to that. We signed the agreement and we are committed to – both parties should be committed to implementing it. We have problems in the field, it's now alleged that both parties have committed violations, of course one side will claim the other did more, but that's normal. So what we need to talk is how to implement this stipulation of COHA, how we are going to follow the roadmap of Gohar successfully.

Lopresti: But one of the conditions laid down in the December peace pact was that GAM would lay down its weapons?

Nur: No, no, no, no, no, the agreement says that we pledge to place our weapons on sites of our own choice. At the same time the Indonesian side will relocate their troops and reform the police mobile brigade, Brimob. And we have identified 32 sites for HDC [Henri Dunant Centre] to check you know? Of course we won't place our weapons there before Indonesia commit themselves, itself to the conditions, which they have refused. So if they refuse to do their part of course we won't do our part.

Lopresti: The outcome of these talks is quite crucial though isn't it; it will determine the future of Aceh pending what happens on the weekend?

Nur: Yes, we feel that COHA is a very good agreement that eventually will lead to such a solution. But COHA is not a peace agreement, it's just a frame, even the title says this, it's a frame agreement on cessation of hostilities. It's just a frame that we have to fill in with mechanisms. The first mechanism is the building of common trust, of confidence, and that lasted quite well in fact. The problem came when at the disarmament stage, when Indonesia refused to relocate their troops and re-format their Brimob as agreed. Now they started saying that we have to surrender our arms, which is not in the agreement at all!