To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to assist in ensuring that parliamentary elections in East Timor are free and fair. (143227)

The UK is working through the UN Security Council to ensure that the East Timorese parliamentary elections are held in a free and fair manner. We supported the Security Council statement which was issued following the successful presidential elections, calling upon all parties in East Timor to ensure that the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 June take place in a free, fair and peaceful environment.

The EU has deployed an Election Observer Mission, including one British national, to East Timor for a period of five weeks, to observe and report on the forthcoming elections.

In addition an official from our embassy in Jakarta will visit East Timor shortly to stress the importance of ensuring that the elections are free and fair.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings the British ambassador in Jakarta has had with (a) the UN Mission in East Timor and (b) the East Timorese Government to discuss the conduct of the parliamentary elections. (143228)

Our ambassador in Jakarta has not had any meetings with the UN Mission to East Timor (UNMIT) or the East Timorese Government specifically to discuss the conduct of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in East Timor. An official from our embassy in Jakarta will visit Dili shortly and plans to raise this issue with UNMIT and the East Timorese Government, and highlight the importance of ensuring the elections are conducted in a fair and peaceful manner.

We welcome the fact that all the 16 competing parties have signed both an electoral Code of Conduct and a Political Party Accord, committing themselves to due process in the elections and democratic principles of governance after them. We continue to work through the UN, and with EU partners, to support the democratic process in East Timor.