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Turkish Cypriot leader to seek second term
The winner of the election, scheduled for April 18, will be mandated to continue peace negotiations with THE Greek Cypriots, a complex process that could be pivotal to Turkey’s bid to join the European Union.
“It is my mission to create the conditions where we can live together alongside Turkey, the Greek Cypriots, Europe and the international community,” Talat told supporters on Saturday at a stadium in Lefkoşa.
Cyprus has been split since a Turkish military intervention in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece.
Talat’s key challenger is Derviş Eroğlu, now prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), recognized only by Ankara. Eroğlu advocates a two-state settlement for the division of Cyprus, a prospect rejected by THE Greek Cypriots.
An opinion poll published in the Kıbrıs daily on Saturday put Eroğlu in the lead, giving him 52.9 percent of the vote over Talat’s 47.1 percent. Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias, both viewed by diplomats as moderates, have been holding peace talks since September 2008.
“We have come a significant way towards a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem and our integration with the international community. However, I will not be satisfied until the job is complete,” Talat said.
Turkey’s bid to join the EU partly hinges on progress in Cypriot reunification talks because Greek Cypriots represent the island in the bloc and can obstruct that process.
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