Taiwan sets date for poll recount

Opposition candidate Lien Chan wants a recount

A recount of Taiwan's controversial presidential election will begin on 10 May, the High Court has announced.

"It is hoped the recount will be completed in 10 days," said spokesman Wen Yao-yuan on Wednesday.

The next presidential term begins on 20 May, and analysts fear violent protests if the dispute between the two main parties is not resolved by then.

Current President Chen Shui-bian won the March election by a narrow margin, but the opposition disputes the result.

Rush for recount

"Everyone hopes the recount can be completed before 20 May," said Wellington Koo, a spokesman for Mr Chen's legal team.

The ruling party has planned to invite hundreds of thousands of guests to a huge inauguration party that evening, while the opposition has organised a major protest on the same day.

POLL RESULTS Chen Shui-bian: 6,471,970 (50.11%) Lien Chan: 6,442,452 (49.89%) 337,297 invalid ballots Turnout: 80.28% Source: Central Election Commission Long-term damage Q&A: Election stand-off

When the election results were first announced, defeated opposition leader Lien Chan contested the outcome and vowed to overturn Mr Chen's victory in court.

Since then his supporters have held large protests, saying the election was marred by irregularities.

They claim that an unsolved gun attack on Mr Chen the day before the vote may have been staged to win sympathy.

While denying any wrongdoing, Mr Chen has agreed to a full vote recount.

Although he won by only 30,000 votes out of more than 13 million cast, most analysts say a simple recount is unlikely to reverse the result.

But the re-tally will also examine the 330,000 spoiled and therefore invalid votes, which if counted could possibly swing the election result in favour of Mr Lien.

The two sides have yet to agree on what criteria will be used to determine if the ballot is valid.