Communist Christofias wins Cyprus presidential vote

Nicosia (ANTARA News/Reuters) - Communist party leader Demetris Christofias won Cyprus`s presidential election on Sunday after pledging to revive talks to re-unite his Greek-Cypriot south side of the island with the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north.

Final results showed Christofias won 53.36 percent of the vote, becoming the island`s first communist president, albeit a communist who accepts the country`s market economy. His right-wing rival Ioannis Kassoulides had 46.64 percent.

Political analyst Hubert Faustmann said Christofias "was talking about the need to communicate with his Turkish-Cypriot compatriots all the time and he will deliver on this. I think this will substantially improve the climate."

Greek Cypriots voted down a U.N. reunification plan in 2004 and they joined the European Union a short time later as a divided island. The EU recognises the government in the south.

Soviet-educated Christofias believes strongly in Cypriot, rather than ethnic identities. He says he wants resumption of talks with Turkish Cypriots through a U.N. process.

"I have the goodwill to move forward to try to find a settlement. It`s an absolute necessity," he said in a televised debate on Friday.

Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup. It still has troops in the north and the island`s division is a major obstacle to Turkey`s EU aspirations.

Ankara`s EU entry talks have been partly suspended because of the stalemate over Cyprus and there will be a new review in 2009. The conflict is also an impediment to better relations between NATO allies Greece and Turkey.

Christofias, 61, will be the only avowed communist leader in the 27-member European Union.

Although proud to declare himself a communist, he says he will not tamper with the free market economy. His AKEL party still boasts busts of Lenin and red flags at its headquarters but it also owns a number of large lucrative businesses on the island.

Christofias`s supporters poured into the streets waving red party banners and Cypriot flags and drove around the capital honking horns.

Kassoulides, 59, conceded, saying: "I assured him I would stand next to him in his efforts to find a solution to our national issue (the island`s division)."

Reunification talks stopped under outgoing President Tassos Papadopoulos, who rejected the U.N. plan in 2004. His surprise elimination in the first round of voting on Feb. 17 raised hopes of breaking the deadlock.

Christofias favours a more structured approach to fresh talks through the United Nations.(*) END