Brussels, 29/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) conducted by the EU and five countries of South East Asia (Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Philippines) announced on Tuesday 27 October that the first of the four phases for application of the peace agreement signed between the Indonesian government and the separatist rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been successfully completed. In total, 243 weapons have been handed over by the GAM and destroyed, and 6,671 soldiers and 1,300 police personnel have left the province. According to Pieter Feith of the Netherlands, who heads the mission, this rapid success shows that both parties are fully committed to complying with the peace agreement signed on 15 August this year in Helsinki. According to Mr Feith, Jakarta must withdraw its security forces, and rebels under amnesty must hand over their weapons. This process, which takes place in four practical phases, is to be completed by 31 December 2005. Mr Feith says that the second phase of decommissioning may begin before the date set of 15 October.