Christofias New President

spook


Joined: 23/01/2008
Posts: 244

Message Posted:
24/02/2008 18:48

Christofias new president

We now have a new left wing president in the south,what might change?

Bob / Anne


Joined: 01/11/2007
Posts: 39

Message Posted:
24/02/2008 19:23

Voting has begun in Cyprus to find a new president after the rule of incumbent president Tassos Papadopoulos was rejected in last week's first vote.



The election provides the opportunity to reunite the island after Papadopoulos rejected a United Nations-backed proposal in 2004.



Both Demetris Christofias of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) and Ioannis Kasoulides of the Democratic Rally party, who are the two remaining candidates in the election have promised to restart talks with the island's Turkish Cypriot community.



Communist leader Mr Christofias appears to hold the advantage if exit polls are to be believed, if he was to become president he would become Europe's only Communist-inspired leader.



Mr Kasoulides, the country's former foreign minister, is believed to be in the best position to negotiate a settlement with the island's Turkish Cypriots, however, Mr Christofias claims his links to the Turkish Cypriot labour movement mean he can broker a deal.



Mr Christofias said: "We have a vision, we have a history of struggle and contact with the people in our efforts to reunify our country without foreign troops.



"At this time I want to send a message of friendship to ordinary Turkish Cypriots, a message of a common fight to reunite our homeland so we are in charge of our own affairs without foreign intervention."



Kasoulides urged Cypriots to vote saying "they will decide whether we go forward in the heart of Europe using all the rights that a member state has to progress but also in efforts to free us from occupation and invasion."



Returning officer Lazaros Savvides said turnout was expected to be high and should exceed the first round of voting last Sunday which reached 89.6 per cent.