Turkish Cypriot leadership election to go into 2nd round
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS1 hour ago
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The election for the Turkish Cypriot leadership will go to a second round after none of the candidates managed to garner enough votes Sunday to avoid a runoff, authorities said, as talks to reunify the ethnically-split island of Cyprus are expected to resume next month.
The hard-line incumbent, Dervis Eroglu, and challenger Mustafa Akinci will vie for the leadership of the breakaway north in next week's runoff. Eroglu edged out Akinci by a slight margin, according to an official statement.
Results show Sibel Siber, who was backed by the leftist CTP party, finishing third, marginally ahead of Eroglu's former top adviser, Kudret Ozersay.
Turnout was at just over 62 percent of about 177,000 eligible voters who were choosing between seven candidates.
The poll will decide who sits opposite Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in talks to reunify the Mediterranean island, split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and keeps more than 30,000 troops in the north.
Peace talks were interrupted last year amid a clash over rights to the island's potential offshore gas reserves. That feud has simmered down, raising prospects of a resumption of talks by mid-May, according to U.N. envoy Espen Barth Eide.
"If we consider the fact that the negotiations will start soon, my wish is to see a president after this election who is able to voice the needs and represent the ideas and expectations of the Turkish Cypriot community," Eroglu said after casting his ballot.
Siber said irrespective of the vote's outcome, the country "will carry on to see better days."
The discovery of gas off the island's coast has raised the stakes in any peace deal. A Cyprus accord could ease Turkey's bid to join the EU and allow for tighter security cooperation on NATO's southern flank. It may help forge new energy-based partnerships in a region torn by conflict and instability.
But many Turkish Cypriots are disillusioned after decades of false promises following numerous failed rounds of negotiations.
"We're voting for our president, but nothing will change," said Dilek Koraltan, 55. "I was born in 1960. I have a grandson and we're still waiting for an agreement."yahoonews
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