Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and visiting East Timor National Resistance Council (CNRT) leader Xanana Gusmao agreed to strengthen the bilateral relations on November 30.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between the two leaders at the Presidential Palace here.

Wahid said the meeting was very good for building up the relations between the two sides.

Xanana, who arrived here last Saturday for a four-day visit at the invitation of Wahid, hoped the Indonesian government would help East Timor's reconstruction.

Wahid said he will ask Indonesian businessmen to invest in East Timor.

Earlier, Xanana told a press conference here that his people will not request compensation from Jakarta for rampages and sufferings they felt in the 23 years of the territory's integration into Indonesia.

"We wish to build a new friendly cooperation with the government and people of Indonesia based on mutual respect. This is what we want, not compensation or taking revenge," he said.

Xanana has also called on Indonesia to help return the refugees as soon as possible. An estimated 130,000 East Timorese are still in Indonesia.

During his stay in Jakarta, Xanana had met with National Defense Forces Commander Admiral Widodo, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Wiranto and other government officials.

East Timor, on course to independence in two to three years, is currently under the United Nations administration. The territory is restoring its civil services and infrastructure which has been paralyzed by chaos following the referendum on August 30.