Xanana Gusmao, Timorese resistance leader

"After the vote everyone should return home. I order youths and their leaders to control their emotions, to stop all provocation and to stop responding to provocation.

Xanana Gusmao: Called for a climate of greater tranquility

"I know that some youths have lost control and this cannot continue. We cannot tolerate more deaths, more bloodshed in East Timor. The youths should have a political role in containing the situation.

"Some leaders of our resistance, through their acts or words, have not helped to create an attitude of sincere reconciliation, and this is wrong.

"Once more, I call on everyone to go home after voting and contribute to a climate of greater tranquillity for all. Let us vote, let us free the motherland, our dear East Timor."

Carlos Belo, bishop of Dili and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate

"The most important thing is to accept the results democratically, as adult and mature people...

"Secondly, those who win should not celebrate too enthusiastically. Above all, we must pull our sleeves up and start working to build this country."

Jose Ramos Horta, vice-president of National Council of Timorese Resistance and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate

"Today's vote was more important than the Oslo ceremony, when Bishop Belo and I stepped up onto the podium to receive the Nobel peace prize in 1996.

Jose Ramos Horta: "A very emotional act"

"This was an important, decisive point in the life of the Timorese, but today's vote in Timor and elsewhere in the world is obviously much more important.

"Therefore it was a very emotional act."

Indonesian Justice Minister Muladi

"If it is true that there has been intimidation and coercion, the vote should be repeated...

"In the future, either in independence or as an autonomous region, a man like Xanana [Gusmao] is suitable to become a leader in East Timor...

"Xanana has a clear vision of East Timor, has integrity and was quite co-operative in solving [the East Timor problem] ... He is a man with a sense of gratitude. I greatly support him."

Antonio Guterres, Portuguese prime minister

"Naturally what worries me most is that peace will not be safeguarded in the process that follows. But I hope it will be.

"I think we did everything possible to guarantee it: all the international pressure possible, the most effective, the strongest, that which was likely to have most influence in Indonesia, was applied.

"Therefore we have a clear conscience that we did our utmost. But we know we do not have a 100% guarantee of success...

"This is a time to pay homage to the extreme civic spirit of the people of East Timor, who despite everything that has happened, all the violence, all the intimidation, were able to rise as one, and were able to vote en masse with extreme civic spirit and political maturity."

Jorge Sampaio, Portuguese president

"I would like to appeal to all Timorese, who no doubt are today very emotional on what many have described as the day they were waiting for, for future tolerance, for what Mr Xanana Gusmao called the amnesty, for understanding that there have been mistakes in the past, for understanding that the entire world is now looking at this extraordinary ability of the Timorese to be able to build their future now.

"This requires democracy, of course, it requires freedom and above all it requires everyone to be very tolerant."