04/12/07 00:10

E Timor to hold parliamentary election in June

Dili (ANTARA News) - East Timor`s President Xanana Gusmao said Wednesday the troubled nation will hold parliamentary elections on June 30, after his successor is selected in a runoff vote.

Gusmao chose not to stand for re-election in the impoverished nation`s April 9 presidential poll, which will be decided in a runoff on May 8 after candidates failed to win a majority.

The charismatic former guerrilla leader has said he will run for the much more powerful job of prime minister. The presidency is a largely ceremonial office in East Timor.

Gusmao intends to join a new party, the National Congress of Reconstruction of Timor, to contest the June poll.

He faces a formidable obstacle in East Timor`s ruling Fretilin party, whose presidential candidate Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres is through to the May runoff and will most likely face Jose Ramos-Horta, the current premier.

The presidential election is being seen as a trial run for the June 30 poll, AFP reported.(*)