INFORMAL MEETING OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS

Four of the five newly appointed Electoral Commissioners, Australian Michael Maley, South Korean Bong-Scuk Sohn and East Timorese Jacinta Correia and Armindo Maia, had the first informal meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer Carlos Valenzuela today. Jacinta Correia is a Judge in the Appellate Court of Dili and one of the founders of East Timor Women’s Network and was a member of the selection panel appointed by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello to appoint members to the National Council. Armindo Maia is the rector of the University of East Timor and held the position of vice-rector before the 1999 popular consultation. Mssrs. Maley and Sohn arrived in Dili yesterday and the third international Commissioner, Indian Charles Rose, is arriving in the coming days. The names of the two East Timorese Commissioners were announced today. The Independent Electoral Commission, comprising three International and two East Timorese Commissioners, is responsible for the organization and conduct of the 30 August elections of a Constituent Assembly for East Timor. The Board will settle disputes related to the electoral process, ensure respect for the electoral regulation and international standards for democratic election, and certify the election results and transmit them to the Secretary-General through the SRSG.

SOCIALIST PARTY APPLY FOR REGISTRATION

Partido Socialista de Timor (PST) submitted an application for registration to the Independent Electoral Commission today, 17 May, in order to present candidates to the elections for the Constituent Assembly. This is the fifth party to submit an application. All party registration applications are available for public inspection at the Independent Electoral Commission headquarters in Dili for two weeks after having been submitted. Any person eligible to vote who has documents to support their claim may file an objection to an application. The objection can be based only on the premise that the items in the application are deficient or inaccurate, and must be supported by documentary evidence.