By Emma Jane Kirby BBC correspondent in Geneva

Indonesian officials and Aceh separatist rebels have begun a new round of peace talks in Switzerland on Thursday.

The talks, which are chaired by Geneva-based mediators and are being held at a secret location, are aimed at ending over 25 years of conflict between the two sides.

There is a massive amount of ground to be covered in a very short space of time.

In just two days of talks, Indonesian officials and exiled members of the Free Aceh Movement are due to examine a series of peace-building proposals which would culminate in the holding of democratic elections in the province by 2004.

According to sources close to the negotiations, the two parties are willing to examine plans for a total ceasefire in the region and to hold more "transparent and all-inclusive dialogue throughout this year and the next".

Key natural resources

The talks are also being attended by international advisers including General Anthony Zinni, currently the US Middle East envoy, and Thailand's Foreign Minister, Surin Pitsuwan.

Aceh province, which is on the northern tip of Sumatra island, is rich in oil and natural resources.

At the last talks in Switzerland, which were held in February, Indonesia granted Aceh a greater share in its oil and gas revenues and agreed to an autonomy package for the province.

But the Aceh separatists want to establish Aceh as a totally independent state - something which Jakarta says it will not allow.

More than 10,000 people have already died in the 25-year-old conflict but despite ceasefires being agreed at previous peace talks, so far there has been little respect of such agreements on the ground.