News from Cyprus

TRNC NEWS HEADLINES

GREEK CYPRIOT PREFERENCE COMMUNIST LEADER

AKEL Secretary General Demetris Christofias won the second round of elections in South Cyprus yesterday with 53.5 % of the votes and became the new president. Compared to 46% obtained by his rival, DISY candidate Ioannais Kasulides.

Ioannis Kasoulides who was supported by the main opposition party DISY got nearly 46.5%of votes.

It has been recorded that participation in the election was %90.87 and 46 thousand 934 persons did not go to the polls.

AKEL Secretary General Demetris Christofias indicated that they were going to unite their powers for “uniting the country.”

TALAT CONGRATULATED CHRISTOFIAS

President Talat congratulated Demetris Christofias for his being elected to the Greek Cypriot Administration Presidency.

Christofias mentioned his desire to meet as early as possible and President Talat said that he is always ready to meet.

PRIME MINISTER SOYER: CHRISTOFIAS MUST START NEGOTIATIONS WITH PRESIDENT TALAT

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer made a call to the winner of the Presidential elections in the Greek Cypriot Administration, AKEL Secretary General Demetris Christofias to negotiate with President Mehmet Ali Talat within the UN parameters.

Soyer underlined that it was time to find a solution to the Cyprus problem in the base of political equality with dialogues.

Soyer mentioned that Greek Cypriot people showed their political will in the elections and elected Demetris Christofias as their President and pointed out that the coming process was very important and they hoped Christofias would not continue the intransigence policy of Tasos Papadopulos.