East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta said Tuesday he would run for a second five-year term in the March election. Ramos-Horta, who served as prime minister when the half-island became independent in 2002, announced his decision on his website, according to a report of DPA. The Nobel peace laureate will face opposition leader Francisco Guterres and former armed forces chief Taur Matar Ruak for what is largely a ceremonial position. If there is no outright winner in the March 17 ballot, a run-off election will be held the following month between to two leading candidates. Ramos-Horta ran as an independent in 2007 but had the support of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. He beat Guterres in a run-off ballot. East Timor, an Indonesian province for 24 years before becoming an independent nation, shares Timor island with Indonesia's West Timor province.
