UNITED NATIONS, May 4; Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers are due to sign here Wednesday an autonomy agreement for East Timor paving the way for independence for the former Portuguese colony, reports AFP.

Security arrangements contained in an annex to the accord provide for the immediate dispatch of civilian police officers to the territory, annexed by Indonesia in 1976, where factional fighting has increased in recent weeks.

However. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard refused on Monday to give details on the UN police contingent, described as "police advisers" by Jakarta, expected to number several hundred to ensure a smooth ballot on August 8.

In the ballot — which is a referendum in all but name -the 800,000 East Timorese in the territory and those in exile are to choose whether to accept the Indonesian offer of wide-ranging autonomy or indepen-