UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed on Friday an independent Commission of Experts to review the prosecution of serious human rights violations committed in East Timor in 1999.

    Annan made the announcement in a statement that he decided to appoint Justice Prafullachandra Bhagwati of India, Professor Yozo Yokota of Japan, and Ms. Shaista Shameem of Fiji to an independentexpert commission.

    The Commission would assess the progress made by the judicial processes in Dili and Jakarta, and make recommendations to the secretary with regard to possible future actions, the statement said.

    The Commission would further consider how its analysis could be of assistance to the Commission of Truth and Friendship, which Indonesia and Timor-Leste agreed to establish, it noted.

    In his letters of Dec. 22 to President Yudhoyono of Indonesia and President Gusmao of Timor-Leste, the secretary outlined to them the tasks of the Commission, and requested their cooperation.

    The secretary is of the view that the work of the Commission could complement that of the Truth and Friendship Commission, and expresses his hope that the Governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste will extend full cooperation to the Commission of Experts. Enditem