U.N. condemns attack on Timor president

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the shooting attack that badly wounded East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta on Monday and urged the nation to stay calm.

At a meeting specially called by South Africa, the 15-nation council adopted a formal statement calling on East Timor's government to bring to justice "those responsible for this heinous act."

Ramos-Horta was shot and critically wounded at his home in the capital Dili in an assassination attempt by rebel soldiers. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao escaped injury in another shooting also on Monday morning, officials said.

"The Security Council condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempt on the life of ... Jose Ramos-Horta ... and wishes him a speedy recovery," said the statement read by council president Ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias of Panama.

The shooting and the attack on Gusmao "represent an attack on the legitimate institutions of Timor-Leste (East Timor)," it said, appealing to the country's people "to remain calm, exercise restraint and maintain stability."

Earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened a General Assembly climate change debate by denouncing what he called "the brutal and unspeakable attack" on Ramos-Horta.

He thanked Australia, which has pledged to send more troops to help maintain security in Asia's youngest nation.

A statement by Ban's spokesperson said the secretary-general was "shocked and dismayed" by the attacks.

The statement said U.N. police in East Timor were on a high state of alert and coordinating with international security forces there and the Timorese authorities. The world body has around 1,500 police and 30 military observers in East Timor.

U.N. special representative Atul Khare had left the United States and was on his way back to Dili, it said.

The former Portuguese colony of almost 1 million people gained full independence in 2002 after a U.N. sponsored vote in 1999, which was marred by violence, ended more than two decades of Indonesian occupation.

East Timor has been struggling to get back on its feet after the army tore apart along regional lines in 2006.

By chance, the current mandate of the U.N. mission in East Timor expires on February 26 and the Security Council is scheduled to debate its renewal on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo said the council had passed the statement "with great sadness" because Ramos-Horta had hosted a council delegation some two months ago.

(Reporting by Patrick Worsnip; Editing by Xavier Briand)