A Portuguese government representative has said that negotiations with Indonesia on the future of East Timor which were due to start later today Tuesday have been suspended following the alleged massacre.

Portugal's ambassador for Timorese affairs, Fernando Neves, said the talks could only resume when a satisfactory explanation was given about what happened in the Alas district, south of the capital, Dili.

The Portuguese and Indonesian delegations were due to discuss a U.N. autonomy plan for East Timor -- a former Portuguese territory that was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 and annexed soon afterwards in a move that was never recognised by the UN.