On 7 December 1975, Indonesian forces invaded and annexed East Timor as its twenty-seventh province. This was nine days after East Timor had declared its independence following Portugal withdrawing from the country. The UN did not recognise Indonesia as the ruling force of East Timor and asserted Portugal as the administering authority of the nation. Australia initially refused to acknowledge Indonesian control of East Timor. However, in 1979 it gave de jure recognition of Indonesian occupation of the country, and began negotiations with Indonesia in relation to closing the Timor Gap.