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The United Nations Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor for another 12 months until May 20, 2004.
A resolution for this effect was unanimously adopted by the council after closed-door consultations on the situation in the young island state, officially known as the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
The resolution stressed that improving the overall capabilities of East Timor's police force is a key priority of the government.
The council discussed a report by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, which recommended a longer stay of the UN mission in East Timor to help government build up judicial, governing and security capabilities.
The UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), with a strength of nearly 5,000, has been deployed in the country since its independence in May 2002, with a mandate to help it maintain domestic and external security.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2003)
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