Last Update: Tuesday, June 17, 2003. 3:41pm (AEST) Downer in talks with E Timorese over gas security concerns

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says Australia is working with East Timor over security concerns for giant floating gas platforms in the Timor Sea.

Mr Downer has delivered the Commonwealth's keynote address at the South East Asia Australia Offshore Conference in Darwin.

He says an attack is possible and he has had preliminary discussions on surveillance with the East Timorese Government.

"Now it's conceivable, I don't have any information to tell you that this is about to happen, but it is conceivable that somebody could attack offshore oil and gas platforms, offshore oil and gas facilities," he said.

"It's happened in history, it hasn't happened to us, so it's just important that we and the East Timorese continue to monitor the security situation as best we can."

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