By Richard Galpin in Aceh

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid is due in the troubled province of Aceh on Tuesday for talks aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the separatist rebellion which has gained momentum in recent months.

It will be his first visit to Aceh as president and it comes at a critical time as fighting between separatist guerrillas and the security forces gathers pace.

In the run-up to this much anticipated official visit, President Wahid has been making confident predictions that the conflict in Aceh can be resolved in the next few months.

Referendum

Since he came to power last October, some talks have been taking place behind the scenes with community leaders from the province.

But in reality they seem to have made little progress. They have become bogged down on one central issue - the holding of a referendum which would include the option of Aceh becoming independent.

President Wahid did initially agree to this but has since changed his mind, offering instead a referendum on implementing Sharia law in this staunchly Muslim province.

The gulf between the two sides has been highlighted by the president's visit to the region on Tuesday.

In part because of security concerns, President Wahid is not going to the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, at all.

Protest

Instead he is flying directly to a remote island off the coast and even here the security is extremely tight. What is more, it is still not clear who he will be meeting during his few hours here.

No representatives from the Free Aceh guerrilla movement are expected, nor any leaders from the referendum campaign.

Instead the president may be limited to talks with a few religious and student leaders and in the provincial capital a protest is now being planned to coincide with President Wahid's visit.