Indonesian horse-trading under way

By Rachel Harvey
BBC correspondent in Jakarta

Mr Yudhoyono has the most votes so far

A week after Indonesia held its first direct presidential election, results are still being counted.

But already three-quarters of the votes cast have been tallied and the positions of the leading candidates are becoming clearer.

A retired general, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is in first place but he has not won enough votes to avoid a run-off election in September.

It looks increasingly likely he will face the incumbent in the second round.

With only two candidates progressing to the next round, the political horse-trading is already well under way.

It will be some time yet before the final result of Indonesia's presidential election is made public.

INDONESIA'S HISTORIC POLL 150 million registered voters on 14,000 islands Previous leaders chosen by the legislature Nation marred by regional conflicts Media eager for result In Pictures: Indonesian poll

That is partly because of the time it takes for ballots to arrive from more remote areas of this vast country.

But already two things are certain - there will be a second round run-off in September between the top two candidates, and one of those two will be Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Until March he was the chief security minister in President Megawati's government. Now it seems likely his old boss will be joining him in the second round.

Lying in third place is General Wiranto, the candidate of Indonesia's most powerful political party, Golkar.

If General Wiranto fails to make the cut, Golkar's support will be up for grabs. Behind the scenes deals are already being negotiated.

In public, meanwhile, the two leading contenders are trying to position themselves ahead of the September poll.

Mr Yudhoyono has appealed to Mrs Megawati not to abuse her position as the incumbent to try to gain political advantage.

Mrs Megawati's supporters have accused international election observers of interfering in the political process but they have failed to produce any evidence. It looks suspiciously like an early attempt to play the nationalist card.

The first shots in the next round of Indonesia's long presidential battle have been fired.