1.   Megawati has also opposed granting significant autonomy to restive provinces, a position that could undermine her support with assembly members from those regions.

2.   Moreover, granting autonomy to Kashmir would lend ammunition to secessionists in the northeast and disgruntled minorities who want more power in other regions.

3.   Some critics argue that granting autonomy to indigenous communities would be a racist policy.

4.   Instead, international mediators have proposed an interim arrangement granting broad autonomy to the Albanian-majority province, subject to review after a few years.

5.   Nationalists in Corsica threw eggs Tuesday at a French presidential contender who fiercely opposes granting limited autonomy to the restive Mediterranean island.

6.   Granting immediate autonomy would only destabilise the republic, which has been hit by sporadic unrest sparked by its claims for independence.