The Legislative Assembly, formerly known as the Constituent Assembly, called a two-week recess today after extending its powers over the weekend to cover the remaining two months before East Timor's independence.

The Assembly fulfilled its primary mandate on Friday – promulgation of the Constitution – but still has several tasks to complete before it officially transforms itself into East Timor's legislature upon independence on 20 May.

To keep the Assembly working, UN Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello submitted a proposed amendment to UNTAET Regulation 2001/2, which spelled out procedures on the popular election and duties of the Constituent Assembly. The amendment was passed Saturday by 68 of the Assembly's 88 members. The remaining 20 members were absent.

After returning from a holiday recess on 8 April, the Assembly is expected to take on the following tasks:

• Set its internal rules and committee structures;
• Debate six high-priority pieces of legislation, including a labour code; a telecommunications bill; a public broadcasting bill and a national budget proposal to be presented at the Donor Conference in Dili 14-15 May;
• Consider what international conventions and treaties should be ratified during independence celebrations.

Separately today, the Assembly nearly completed work in its internal budget for 2002-2003. Agreed changes to the estimated US$ 1 million budget will be completed in committee tomorrow before Assembly Speaker Fransisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres signs it and forwards it to the Council of Ministers.