The announcement, made simultaneously at the UN headquarters and East Timorese capital of Dili showed 78.5 per cent opted for independence against 21.5 per cent, who favoured wide ranging autonomy under Indonesia. ``There are no winners or losers,'' Annan told the Security Council meeting convened specially to announce the result even as officials waited with bated breath the reaction from pro-autonomy militias who have been indulging in violence since the voting was held. Annan said, ``The vote showed that the people have rejected the proposed autonomy plan and have expressed their wish to begin a process of transition towards independence.''

The vote comes 23 years after Indonesia invaded and took over the territory after former colonial master, Portugal,abandoned it.

Though there is no time limit for the world body to complete the transition, independence leader Jose Ramos Horta wants the transition period to last for three years which would mean that UN would effectively rule the territory till then. The autonomy plan was drawn up by Indonesia which had said it would grant independence to the territory if the East Timorese reject the plan which they did in the referendums.

Annan urged all parties to ``bring an end to violence'' which the territory has been witnessing for several months and increased after Monday's referendum passed off without any major incident. Anti-independence militias, with the support of Indonesian army, have been rampaging East Timor which has resulted in thousands fleeing and several people, including some UN local staff being killed. It has also led to calls for sending in UN peacekeepers but so far most of the members of the Security Council, which must authorise the mission, are still undecided and some of them against itunless Indonesia explicitly make such an request. Meanwhile, an AFP report from Jakarta said that Indonesian president B J Habibie on Saturday expressed his government's acceptance of East Timor's vote for independence.

``I state that the government of the republic of Indonesia respects and accepts the choice of the people of East Timor,'' Habibie said in a televised statement broadcast nationwide.

Under the UN brokered agreement between Indonesia and Portugal, Jakarata is responsible for the security and maintenance of law and order in the territory and the world body has been appealing to it to take effective steps to end violence. ``Today, I ask all parties to bring an end the violence which for 24 years has caused untold suffering to East Timor,'' Annan said.

Officials say one of the major task of the UN would be to bring about reconciliation between anti and pro-independence groups before handing over the administration to an elected government.

Annan reminded the Indonesian government of itsresponsibility to maintain law and order under the agreement and called on East Timorese to begin to forge a common future in ``what is to become an independent'' East Timor.

World Bank ready to aid East Timor

WASHINGTON: In the wake of East Timor's overwhelming vote for independence from Indonesia, the World Bank (WB) is ready to help the territory build its economy, a WB spokesman has said.

The spokesman, requesting anonymity, on Friday said the Bank was ``ready to move ahead quickly with assistance, coordinated with the support of other donors and agencies''. A WB delegation was expected to visit East Timor in the near future, he added.

Education, health and basic infrastructure, including government training, were ``the main areas of need,'' in East Timor, the spokesman said.

The International Monetary Fund had not yet developed a plan to offer East Timor financial assistance but may do so soon, IMF spokesman Bill Murray said.

Reuters