CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY RECOMMENDS HANDOVER DATE

Constituent Assembly President Francisco Guterres today signed a resolution adopting an assembly recommendation that UNTAET hand over sovereignty to elected Timorese government institutions on 20 May 2002.

The signing of the resolution follows the assembly's passage late last Friday of a proposal put forth by the leaders of the Fretilin, ASDT, PD, PDC, PPT, Liberal and PNT parties. The proposal was approved by 73 of the 88 assembly members, representing a 97 percent approval rate.

During Friday night's debate Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri argued that East Timor would be ready to take the reigns of power by next May, and that providing a date for the power-transfer would reassure the international donor community. Opponents of the resolution, led by the PSD, argued it was ill-advised to name a date for the power transfer without already having a timetable in place.

Acknowledging this, the Constituent Assembly pledged to move quickly to put such a timetable in place.

On 20 May 1974 the first East Timorese political party, the ASDT, was formed. The Fretilin independence movement stemmed from the ASDT.

The official text of the signed resolution will be presented to SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, who in turn will inform the UN Security Council of the decision when it holds its quarterly session on East Timor at the end of this month.

CHIEF MINISTER, DELEGATION, ARRIVES IN PORTUGAL

Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri today arrived in Portugal for a week-long visit along with independence leader Xanana Gusmão, Minister of Finance Fernanda Borges, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Fernando de Araújo and Vice Minister for Education, Culture and Youth Roque Rodrigues.

The delegation is scheduled to meet with President of the Republic of Portugal Jorge Sampaio, Speaker of the Assembly António de Almeida Santos, Prime Minister António Guterres, and other Ministers and dignitaries including the Governor of the Portuguese Central Bank Victor Constâncio.

Upon their arrival today, the delegation was scheduled to attend a ceremony marking the launch of a book entitled "Self-determination in East Timor" by Ian Martin, the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General during the 1999 Popular Consultation.

On 29 October, with the exception of Gusmão and the Vice Minister of Education Culture and Youth, the delegation will proceed to New York where they will attend an open session of the Security Council on East Timor on 31 October.