Maubisse, East Timor ? Rebel soldiers holed up in hills around East Timor’s capital plan to start handing over weapons to a multinational peacekeeping force today, their commander said, in a step that could help end months of violence.

It was not clear what kind of weapons are held by the rebels, many of them ex-soldiers sacked from the army in March after complaining of discrimination within the military. The former soldiers fled the capital, Dili, in May amid clashes with loyalist forces.

“We just have to finish some paperwork,” Lt. Cmdr. Alfredo Reinado, who leads the dismissed soldiers, said from the mountain villa in the hills above Dili where he is headquartered.

On Thursday, Army Brig. Mick Slater, commander of the Australian-led forces charged with restoring order to East Timor, said an agreement was being negotiated with rebels to surrender their weapons and make way for talks with the government.

The rebel commander has said he prefers dialogue to force and backs a proposal by lawmakers to change the constitution and empower the president to create a transitional government until elections can be held next year.