Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao won the presidential election in East Timor, it was officially announced in Dili on Wednesday.
According to reports reaching Jakarta, East Timor's Independent Electoral Commission said Gusmao had won 12 out of all 13 districts, having lost only in Auliu district, the home town of his sole rival Francisco Xavier do Amaral.
More than 86.3 percent of the registered voters turned out on Sunday in a peaceful poll to chose between Gusmao and Xavier. Gusmao got 82.69 percent of the votes, and his rival 17.31 percent.
Sunday's vote was the third for East Timorese since 1999 when the United Nations organized a self-determination ballot in August that year which led to the territory separating from Indonesia after 24 years.
In August last year, East Timorese voted peacefully and in large numbers to elect an 88-member assembly that has since drawn up the country's first constitution.
Sunday's vote paved the way for East Timor to become the world's newest independent country on May 20, when the UN administration hands over to an East Timorese government.
UN Welcomes Presidential Elections in E. Timor
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday warmly welcomed the successful stagingof East Timor's first presidential elections on April 14, describing it as a historic milestone on the south Asian territory's journey towards independence.
The council said in a presidential statement that it pays tribute to the East Timorese people for their high turnout of 86.2percent in the vote, which is a demonstration of their commitment to peaceful coexistence and democracy.
The council "now looks forward to celebrating the declaration of independence on May 20 and to welcoming East Timor into the international community of nation states," the statement said.
According to the UN, preliminary results show that independence leader Xanana Gusmo holds an overwhelming lead in theelections.
Gusmo has won 11 out of 12 districts counted so far, with only one district of Auliu going to his sole rival Francisco Xavier do Amaral.
A total of 378,538 voters participated in the poll, which represented 86.2 percent of the estimated voter population.
Sunday's vote was the third for East Timorese since 1999 when the UN sponsored a self-determination ballot in August that yearwhich led to the territory separating from Indonesia after 24 years.
Before 1975, East Timor was a Portuguese colony.
In August 2001, East Timorese voted peacefully and in large numbers to elect an 88-member assembly that has since drawn up East Timor's first constitution.
The vote on Sunday pave the way for it to become the world's youngest independent country on May 20 when the UN hands over it administration to the East Timor government.
(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2002)
