East Timor poll shaping up as 2007 re-run

East Timorese presidential hopeful Francisco Guterres has called for peaceful elections that will avoid the violence which broke out five years ago when the young country last went to the polls.

The head of the main opposition party, Fretilin, has joined about 10 other candidates in officially entering the race for president, including incumbent Jose Ramos-Horta.

While the position of president in East Timor is largely symbolic and carries no executive powers, the March 17 poll will be a significant pointer to the more important parliamentary elections in June.

With just over a month to go before country votes for a new president, the race is shaping as replay of the 2007 poll which saw current President Dr Ramos-Horta defeat Mr Guterres in a second round run-off.

Mr Guterres, also know as "Lu Olo", won the first round in 2007 but then lost the run-off after Dr Ramos-Horta secured the support of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and his National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor party.

Dr Ramos-Horta, also announced on Tuesday that he would stand again, presenting a petition of support carrying about 9000 signatures.

Mr Guterres claimed the support of almost 23,000 voters in his petition.

Under East Timor law, candidates must demonstrate they have the support of at least 5000 voters before they are allowed to run.

Mr Guterres said he was confident the support already demonstrated would translate into a victory for him and Fretilin, which holds about 30 per cent of the seats in parliament.

"I start out as my party's candidate, but will be president for all the people of Timor-Leste," the 57-year-old said.

He also appealed for all candidates to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner "in a way that contributes to strengthening peace, stability and national unity".

"What our people want most of all and fully deserve is peace and stability," he said.

The 2007 elections were tarnished by an outbreak of violence although not at levels seen in 2006 when their were riots in the streets of the capital Dili.

There is, however, still anxiety among many East Timorese who remain worried about the possibility of a return to the violence which racked the country in 2006, particularly in view of the coming withdrawal of international security forces.

The United Nations mission, which includes 1397 police and military advisers, is scheduled to begin withdrawing after the parliamentary elections in June.

Australia also has hundreds of personnel deployed in East Timor under a separate security mission.

While Canberra has not yet set a definite withdrawal date, President Ramos-Horta last year called for Australian Defence Force personnel to begin pulling out at the end of 2012.

Since the first elections, the positions of power in East Timor have swapped between Dr Ramos-Horta, current prime minister Xanana Gusmao and Mari Alkatiri, who was the inaugural prime minister in 2002.