Timor seeks aid

East Timor will bid farewell to almost 500 years of foreign rule next Monday - but not to foreign aid.

At talks starting tomorrow in the capital, Dili, 25 donors will be asked to pledge $200 million to plug the new nation's deficit until oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea start earning income.

Despite the energy resources, East Timor will still be poor.

The former Portuguese colony and Indonesian province is struggling to recover from the decimation of 80 per cent of its infrastructure in the militia rampage that followed its August 1999 vote for independence.

Feature: Indonesia and East Timor

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