Banda Aceh – The head of a foreign monitoring mission overseeing a peace pact between ex-rebels in Indonesia's Aceh and the Jakarta government has given an initial nod to a law cementing the deal.

The law, passed by the national parliament this week, has been criticised by former members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who claim some provisions are not in line with the pact signed in Finland last August.

The peace deal was spurred on by the devastating 2004 tsunami and ended 29 years of conflict which had claimed some 15,000 lives in Indonesia's westernmost province.

But Pieter Feith, the head of the European Union-led Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) which is tasked with mediating any disputes, said the law was broadly in line with the so-called memorandum of understanding.

At an exceptional meeting called between representatives of the AMM, government and GAM, Feith said that it was not necessary for the law to be a "word by word reflection of the MoU".

Rather, he said, it should "be based on the set of principles agreed upon in Helsinki." "Most of these have been accommodated even though interpretations might differ. In conclusion, AMM considers the (law) to broadly cover the principles in the MoU," a statement from the AMM released after Wednesday's meeting said.

The GAM delegation asked for more time to examine the law before drawing conclusions "while reiterating that they will not revert to armed struggle", the statement said. The law clears the way for local elections to be held in the province.

Under the pact, GAM agreed to drop its demand for independence in return for wide-ranging autonomy and, among other concessions, the right to form local political parties which are banned elsewhere in Indonesia. GAM representatives have complained that the law gives Jakarta too much room for interfering in Aceh's affairs.