International monitors have left Indonesia's western province of Aceh ahead of a possible government military offensive against Aceh separatists. The move came as negotiators held last-minute meetings with Indonesian government and separatist leaders to salvage a fragile five-month peace pact. The monitors departed apparently out of concern for their safety in light of a possible resumption of hostilities. The 50 Thai and Filipino monitors were moved to Medan in North Sumatra, according to a negotiator with the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Center, which brokered the Dec. 9 peace agreement. In addition to laying down their weapons, the government wants the rebels to accept autonomy instead of full independence. Negotiators said separatist leaders have expressed some willingness to accept autonomy but are reluctant to lay down their arms until the government withdraws to defensive positions as required by the Dec. 9 pact. The pact to end the 26-year civil war - which has killed nearly 12,000 people (civilians) on the northern tip of Sumatra island, about 1,200 miles northwest of Jakarta - has appeared to unravel in recent weeks. Last week the government announced it was sending more troops to the province and had readied a presidential decree allowing it to "launch a security operation" in the province. Parliament has expressed its support for a military crackdown. The country's military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto was to brief a parliament committee Monday. "It seems to me that we will have a large scale military operation in Aceh and we support that," legislator Jacob Tobing said Sunday. "We just want to guarantee the military has a good plan to minimize civilian causalities." Rebels issued a statement calling on their fighters to return to their bases and for citizens to halt all activities starting Monday. The rebels have 3,000 to 10,000 troops in the province, while the government has more than 30,000 troops. Four top separatist leaders were arrested Friday on allegations that they were behind a series of recent bombings across Indonesia. However, the four were released Sunday to allow them to participate in possible peace negotiations. The violence has intensified in the past two months, with both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement. The government says separatists have used the halt in fighting to promote independence, while the separatists accuse the military of attacking supporters of the pact. Talks aimed at salvaging the agreement have been put on hold as the two sides bickered over times and locations. The presence of large reserves of oil and gas in Aceh has intensified the fight over who controls the region. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) hold their weapons during an exercise at their camp in Aceh province on May 11, 2003. (REUTERS/Supri)