On the eve of the second round of presidential elections in Timor-Leste, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the small country is shoring up security measures with the expectation that the polls will be peaceful.

The senior United Nations law and order official in Timor-Leste today travelled outside the capital to meet with police as part of efforts to consolidate stability in the wake of elections and ahead of the next round of polls.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was heartened that today’s presidential election in Timor-Leste had passed calmly, adding initial indications showed high voter turnout as he called on the international community to continue providing assistance to the tiny nation.

Next week’s landmark presidential election in Timor-Leste, the first in the tiny nation since gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002, is important not only for peace in the country but also for longer-term stability, senior United Nations officials said today, highlighting the world body’s support for the countrywide polls.