Cyprus unity on agenda as president fails at polls

TASSOS Papadopoulos, the hardline president of Cyprus, dramatically failed in his bid for re-election yesterday, leaving two moderates contesting a run-off vote next Sunday.

The vote is key to efforts to bring the war-divided Mediterranean island back together and to Turkey's European Union aspirations.

Analysts said Mr Papadopoulos' elimination signalled that Greek-Cypriots are ready to return to the negotiating table.

The winner of one of Cyprus' most tightly contested and important elections was Ioannis Kasoulides, a former foreign minister and member of the European Parliament, who is running as an independent backed by the right-wing Disy party. He won 33.5 per cent of the vote.

Close behind was Demetris Christofias, the leader of the reformed communist party, Akel, who secured 33.3 per cent. Mr Papadopoulos was eliminated after taking 31.8 per cent of the vote.

James Ker-Lindsay, a Cyprus expert at Kingston University, London, said: "Kasoulides and Christofias are seen as candidates who represent the chance for a solution. There will be a lot of attention now (from the international community] giving one last good go at re-unification."

Mr Kasoulides, 59, and Mr Christofias, 62, have pledged to bring new flexibility and commitment to any fresh peace negotiations with the estranged Turkish-Cypriot community.

Each has said his first move if elected would be to contact Mustafa Talat, the Turkish-Cypriot leader, with a view to re-launching peace talks.

Mr Papadopoulos, 74, led Greek-Cypriots in rejecting a UN reunification proposal four years ago, insisting the settlement, known as the Annan plan, did not meet their basic demands. A week later, Cyprus, represented internationally by the Greek Cypriots, entered the EU divided, leaving the Turkish- Cypriots, who had backed the Annan plan, out in the cold.

Mr Papadopoulos' rivals said his tough stance in the aftermath of the plan's failure drove the island closer to permanent partition and lost Cyprus friends in Europe.

The UN is set to dispatch a senior envoy to Cyprus next month to assess whether it is worth launching another settlement drive.

"The UN and EU will be greatly encouraged that the winner will be chosen from two candidates who have committed themselves to be much more pro-active in search of a settlement," a senior European envoy in Nicosia said.

This year represents a small window of opportunity for a settlement as there are no elections pending in other concerned capitals and the EU is due to assess Turkey's bid to join the bloc next year.

The division of the former British colony is an obstacle to Turkey's hopes of joining the EU, with Greek-Cypriots adamant Ankara cannot join the bloc without a Cyprus settlement.