CYPRUS: ELECTORS ON THE TURKISH SIDE OF CYPRUS HAVE STARTED VOTING IN GENERAL ELECTIONS

Record ID: 584778

  • Title: CYPRUS: ELECTORS ON THE TURKISH SIDE OF CYPRUS HAVE STARTED VOTING IN GENERAL ELECTIONS
  • Date: 14th December 2003
  • Summary: (U3) KYRENIA, CYPRUS (DECEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SV/MCU MAIN OPPOSITION REPUBLICAN TURKISH PARTY LEADER, MEHMET ALI TALAT VOTING (5 SHOTS) 0.28 2. SV/MCU TALAT TALKING TO MEDIA/WIFE STANDING BY (2 SHOTS) 0.40 3. MCU (Turkish) MAIN OPPOSITION REPUBLICAN TURKISH PARTY LEADER, MEHMET ALI TALAT SAYING, "We believe and know that we are going to be very succesful. Our people deserve peace and freedom. We will definitely succeed." 0.53 (U3) NICOSISA, CYPRUS (DECEMBER 14, 2003) (REUTERS) 4. SV/TV TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH VOTING WITH HIS WIFE (4 SHOTS) 1.24 5. MCU (Turkish) TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER, RAUF DENKTASH SAYING: "We have done our democratic duty. Our wish is that democracy, peace and a solution will prevail." 1.31 6. SV/MCU/SLV VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING (5 SHOTS) 2.12 7. MCU (Turkish) CEVDET OZGULER, TURKISH CYPRIOT CITIZEN, SAYING: "I wish for the best for Northern Cyprus. I voted for the party which supports European Union accession. I believe after the elections, we will achieve this." 2.34 8. SV VARIOUS OF VOTING (9 SHOTS) 3.31 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KYRENIA AND NICOSIA, CYPRUS
  • Country: Cyprus
  • Reuters ID: LVAC67AZ763TTL3RPDUZWTLI9CFW
  • Story Text: Electors on the Turkish side of Cyprus have
    started voting in general elections that could affect Turkey's
    hopes of joining the European Union.




    The polls on Sunday (December 14) are widely seen
    as a referendum on veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf
    Denktash and his hardline rejection of a U.N. plan to
    reunify the Mediterranean island after nearly three
    decades.

    The EU has sent a clear message to Turkey that its own
    chances of starting full accession talks with Brussels
    after a review of reforms late next year will be seriously
    damaged if Ankara fails to push the Turkish Cypriots to a
    breakthrough.

    Opposition parties say they would restart talks and try
    to get a deal before the internationally recognised Greek
    Cypriot government joins the EU next May.

    Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the main opposition
    republican party, said on Sunday after voting in Kyrenia,
    "We believe and know that we are going to be very
    succesful. Our people deserve peace and freedom. We will
    definitely succeed."
    In Nicosia, Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash said
    simply, "We have done our democratic duty. Our wish is that
    democracy, peace and a solution will prevail."
    Polling for the 50 seats in the tiny legislature of the
    breakaway statelet of northern Cyprus, recognised only by
    Turkey, opened at 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT). Voting closes at
    6:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) and provisional results are expected
    by around midnight.

    Talks on a U.N. blueprint for reunification, envisaging
    a loosely federal state with broad autonomy for the two
    communities, collapsed in March when Denktash flatly
    rejected it.


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