CYPRUS: Cypriots go to the polls for crucial vote

Record ID: 755651

  • Title: CYPRUS: Cypriots go to the polls for crucial vote
  • Date: 17th February 2008
  • Summary: (BN07) NICOSIA, CYPRUS (FEBRUARY 17, 2008) (REUTERS) POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING PEOPLE DROPPING BALLOTS INTO BOX
  • Embargoed: 3rd March 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cyprus
  • Country: Cyprus
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2AYTYZU7MAD5Y3B6QJ4ZB4XJL
  • Story Text: Half a million Greek Cypriots are voting for a new president in a cliffhanger race which could influence Turkey's EU accession hopes and affect NATO-EU cooperation in trouble spots worldwide.
    Greek Cypriots voted on Sunday (February 17) for a new president in a tight three-way race crucial for any revival of peace talks on the divided island and for Turkey's hopes of joining the European Union.
    The latest polls show incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos, communist challenger Demetris Christofias and a former foreign minister Ioannis Kassoulides in a virtual dead-heat in the vote, with none near the 51 percent needed. This might lead to a run-off on February 24.
    Under overcast skies, polling stations for around 516,000 voters opened at 0500GMT. They close at 1500GMT, with final results expected in by around 1830GMT.
    Voters will choose between Papadopoulos, a British trained lawyer and constitutional expert, who led Greek Cypriots into rejection of a deeply unpopular U.N. peace plan in 2004; Kassoulides, a moderate who wants to build bridges with Europe, and Christofias, a nominal communist whose party has traditionally enjoyed close ties with rival Turkish Cypriots.
    Diplomats see Kassoulides and Christofias as more moderate than Papadopoulos, whose sometimes authoritarian manner has earned him a "hard-liner" label, a tag he vehemently rejects.
    Regardless of who wins, diplomats say that mediators intend to have one last attempt this year at mending fences between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, who are on opposing sides of a U.N. ceasefire line which has split the Mediterranean island for almost 35 years.
    Since Cyprus, represented by Greek Cypriots, joined the EU in 2004 it has frustrated Turkey's EU aspirations. Sparring between Turkey and Cyprus has also hampered joint EU-NATO cooperation in Kosovo and Afghanistan.
    The conflict has been a thorn in relations between NATO allies Turkey and Greece and the stakes from the Cyprus spillover are high for both the European Union and NATO.
    Despite their differences, all three candidates are united on Cyprus' opposition to a unilateral declaration of Kosovan independence, fearing it could trigger the same move in northern Cyprus.
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