Jakarta - President Clinton charged Indonesia yesterday with backing the rampaging militias in East Timor and demanded Jakarta "reverse this course".
"It is now clear that the Indonesian military is aiding and abetting the militia violence," Mr Clinton said during a stopover at the Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii on his way to the APEC summit in Auckland.
It was the first time the United States has accused Indonesia of direct involvement in the brutal campaign launched by militias.
"This is simply unacceptable," Mr Clinton added. "The Indonesian government and military must reverse this course."
Mr Clinton said Jakarta must "do everything possible to stop the violence and allow an international force to make possible the restoration of security," suggesting that, either way, foreign troops must be allowed into East Timor.
Before leaving for the APEC summit, Mr Clinton said: "Right now international financial institutions are not moving forward with substantial new lending to Indonesia. My own willingness to support future assistance will depend very strongly on the way Indonesia handles this situation."
From London, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, told President B.J. Habibie to restore order in East Timor or face lasting economic and political isolation, his office said. "The Prime Minister said there was mounting horror around the world at what was being allowed to happen in East Timor," a spokesman said.
In a 15-minute telephone conversation on Thursday, Mr Blair also urged Mr Habibie to accept an international force.
President Jacques Chirac of France called on Jakarta to agree to deployment of an international peace force. He said France was willing to send troops under UN command, warning that Indonesia risked "being placed beyond the pale".