'Doctors at Royal Darwin Hospital have reported that President Jose Ramos-Horta continued his steady recovery today and is slowly waking up,' spokesman Luke Gosling said in a statement.

'The President has said a few words to his family and is resting.'

The Nobel laureate has undergone surgery in a hospital in Darwin since Feb 11 and has been heavily sedated at the hospital to help him stay still and avoid pain.

In a suspected coup operation, the suspected rebels shot Mr Ramos-Horta at his home and attacked Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on Feb 11.

Mr Ramos-Horta, who was shot twice in the back and chest, was critically wounded while Mr Gusmao escaped injury.

The President was 'aware' of the circumstances which led to his hospitalisation, Mr Gosling said, without elaborating on what Mr Ramos-Horta said when he regained consciousness.

The President was briefly conscious last week after doctors lightened the level of his medication, but the medics decided to sedate him again ahead of another operation on Tuesday.

Mr Gosling said Mr Ramos-Horta's doctors were pleased with reconstructive surgery performed to repair the damage caused by the bullet wounds to his back and chest.

A spokesman for the hospital said she had no details on when the President might be discharged from hospital or be ready to resume his duties.

Doctors said last week that he could be home within three weeks but it could be six months before he was entirely over the injury.

Timor Leste has been under a state of emergency, with an evening-to-dawn curfew in place and gatherings banned, since the attacks blamed on rebels led by Alfredo Reinado who was killed in the gunfire.

Australian-led international peacekeepers along with United Nations and national police have been searching for at least 17 renegade soldiers accused of trying to kill the President and Prime Minister.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA