The Indonesian government reaffirmed Friday all foreign troops must leave the tsunami-hit Aceh province no later than March 26, but foreign volunteers are allowed to continue their humanitarian missions there.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who paid an inspection visit here Friday, said that by the time limit foreign troops would have completed their missions of emergency relief and rescue work.

"It would be enough for three months, local contractors can do their work after three months," Kalla told reporters at the Baiturrahman Mosque there.

The vice president predicted that within three months after the catastrophe on Dec. 26, 2004, public facilities could be well recovered.

However, Indonesian Minister of Information and Communication Sofyan Jalil said that the foreign volunteers would be allowed to continue their humanitarian missions in the province.

"The (foreign) volunteers can stay longer, they can stay even in years, if there is still a lot of work to do, especially medical doctors, engineers, health workers, all those who are professional," he said at the residence of the provincial governor,which is at present used for the press center.

Previously, Indonesian Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Alwi Shihab said that foreign volunteers must exit from the province no later than March, 26, this year.

Last week, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta warned ambassadors of the United Stated, Japan, Sweden, Singapore, and Libya not to intervene in the issue of separatist Free Aceh movement (GAM).

The GAM has been struggling to set up an independent state since 1976. Over 10,000 people were killed during the conflicts with the government troops.

The Indonesian government reaffirmed Friday all foreign troops must leave the tsunami-hit Aceh province no later than March 26, but foreign volunteers are allowed to continue their humanitarian missions here.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who paid an inspection visit here Friday, said that by the time limit foreign troops would have completed their missions of emergency relief and rescuework.

"It would be enough for three months, local contractors can do their work after three months," Kalla told reporters at the Baiturrahman Mosque here.

The vice president predicted that within three months after thecatastrophe on Dec. 26, 2004, public facilities could be well recovered.

However, Indonesian Minister of Information and Communication Sofyan Jalil said that the foreign volunteers would be allowed to continue their humanitarian missions in the province.

"The (foreign) volunteers can stay longer, they can stay even in years, if there is still a lot of work to do, especially medical doctors, engineers, health workers, all those who are professional," he said at the residence of the provincial governor,which is at present used for the press center.

Previously, Indonesian Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Alwi Shihab said that foreign volunteers must exit from the province no later than March, 26, this year.

Last week, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta warned ambassadors of the United Stated, Japan, Sweden, Singapore, and Libya not to intervene in the issue of separatist Free Aceh movement (GAM).

The GAM has been struggling to set up an independent state since 1976. Over 10,000 people were killed during the conflicts with the government troops.

Source: Xinhua