United Nations – The UN Security Council voted to keep a drastically scaled back UN mission in East Timor to support the legal, law enforcement and security institutions that the government has established since independence two years ago.

A resolution adopted unanimously by the council Friday extends the mission for six months "with a view to subsequently extending the mandate for a further and final period of six months, until May 20, 2005."

In a report to the council last month, Annan said the international community's peacekeeping activities in East Timor have made "a crucial contribution" by providing security, facilitating the country's emergence from conflict, and supporting its political and economic development. "Nonetheless, there is a limit to what can be achieved in so short a time," he said.

The resolution welcomed Annan's recommendation to extend the mission for a final one-year "consolidation phase" to strengthen key sectors including justice, public administration, the national police and security.

Currently, the UN mission has more than 1,660 troops, more than 300 international police and 77 military observers. The resolution authorized a major cutback to 310 troops, a 125-member international response unit, 42 military liaison officers, 157 civilian police advisers and 58 civilian advisers.

The council asked Annan to review the mission every three months for possible further reductions before it wraps up next year.

Council members commended "the progress achieved by the people and government of East Timor, with the assistance of the international community, towards developing, in so short a time, the nation's infrastructure, public administration, law enforcement and defense capabilities."

But the council agreed with Annan that further assistance was needed to help build up key institutions.

When the people of East Timor voted for independence in 1999, the Indonesian military and its proxy militias responded by laying waste to the former province, killing 1,500 Timorese and forcing 300,000 from their homes.

The United Nations administered the territory for 2 1/2 years, then handed it to the Timorese on May 20, 2002.

East Timor will formally assume full responsibility for maintenance of security and stability throughout its entire territory on Thursday, exactly two years after independence.

But Annan stressed that "the development of its security capability remains at an early stage" and the United Nations should continue its support, and be ready to respond militarily to major security threats that exceed the current capacity of East Timor's security agencies.