East Timor:A party set up by East Timor's former president Xanana Gusmao has lined up partners to form a coalition government in the wake of last week's parliamentary elections, party leaders said yesterday.
"We have decided to make an alliance for the stability of the country. We will work to establish terms of reference," Mr Gusmao told a news conference.
Mr Gusmao's CNRT party, which the resistance hero established as a vehicle to become prime minister, formed an alliance with the Association of Timorese Democrats-Social Democratic Party (ASDT-PSD) and the Democratic Party.
The coalition has a combined 51 per cent of the vote and is expected to hold 37 seats in the 65-chamber parliament.
With vote counting completed in all districts, the former ruling party Fretilin headed the field with 29 per cent support.
CNRT, which Mr Gusmao set up only this year, was second with 24 per cent.
The coalition will have to seek permission from president José Ramos-Horta, a close ally of Mr Gusmao, to form a government.
"We declare that we have decided to coalesce with CNRT and ASDT/PSD to implement our programmes," Democratic Party president Fernando de Araujo told the conference.
PSD president Mario Viegas Carrascalao said the coalition was still discussing who would be named prime minister.
Both Fretilin and CNRT had ruled out forming a unity government, an idea floated by Mr Ramos-Horta.
Fretilin, which led the 24-year struggle against Indonesia, remains popular, especially in the east of the country, but its candidate fared badly in the recent presidential election.
Factional bloodshed broke out in East Timor last year, triggered by the Fretilin government's sacking of 600 rebellious soldiers.
In the ensuing mayhem 37 people were killed and 150,000 driven from their homes.
Foreign troops led by Australia intervened to restore order, but sporadic violence and unrest have continued.
- (Reuters)