SYDNEY -- Australia Wednesday hailed Xanana Gusmao's overwhelming victory in East Timor's first presidential election and invited him to make an early visit to the country.

"We warmly welcome Xanana Gusmao's election," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said. "I think he'll make a truly fine President of East Timor."

Downer said East Timor would need a unifying leader when it officially became a new nation on may 20, adding: "There's definitely no better person to do that than Xanana Gusmao.

"I am confident East Timor will get off to a strong and united start, AFP reported.

Gusmao secured almost 83 percent of the vote in Sunday's election which Downer said was "a gigantic win. It's something we never see in this country."

Downer said he hoped Gusmao would make an official visit to Australia in the next few months.

Australia led the international peacekeeping force which was sent to East Timor in September 1999 to quell an orgy of violence led by pro-Indonesian militias after the East Timorese voted overwhelmingly to end Jakarta's 24-year occupation.