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Turkish Cypriot vote muddies EU entry

A Turkish Cypriot woman helps her husband cast his vote at a polling station on the Turkish side of the divided capital of Nicosia on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Turkish Cypriot opposition parties that favor a UN-backed plan for reunifying the island made huge gains on Sunday in crucial balloting on the future of the island, but failed to win a majority of the seats in parliament.

Elections ended in a deadlock with the pro-EU opposition and pro-government parties splitting the 50 parliamentary seats.

The opposition, which had only 11 seats in the outgoing parliament, has been growing in strength as a May date for Cyprus to enter the EU -- divided or unified -- approaches. If Cyprus is not unified by May, EU laws and benefits will only apply to the Greek Cypriot south.

But the opposition failed to capture a majority in parliament, which left critics of the UN-backed reunification plan celebrating.

"Long live the status quo," supporters of the National Unity Party, the largest of the governing parties chanted after the election.

With all of the 554 ballot boxes counted early yesterday morning, the pro-EU Republican Turkish Party and the Peace and Democracy Movement together had 48 percent of the vote and took 25 seats in parliament. The two parties have vowed to form an alliance if they win.

Meanwhile, the National Unity Party and the Democrat Party had 46 percent of the vote in the elections, according to the High Elections Board. Both parties oppose a UN-sponsored reunification plan and are currently serving in a co-alition government. They also had 25 seats.

"It is of course disappointing that we don't have a clear majority," said Serdil Sabit Soyer, general secretary of the Republican Turkish Party.

Opposition parties support a UN-backed plan to reunify the island. The governing parties argue that the plan would lead to domination by the richer Greek Cypriot south of the island.

With Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash and the Turkish military both opposing the UN talks, the opposition is believed to have needed a strong mandate for change.

"The people seem to be divided into camps," said Serdar Denktash, son of the Turkish Cypriot leader and head of the Democrat Party.

The next step will be for Rauf Denktash to name a party leader to form a new government. Denktash has already said that he would not nominate the opposition unless they won an outright majority.

If no party can form a coalition, new elections will have to be held in 60 days.

Parliament seats are divided according to a complicated formula that takes into account the population of the district casting the votes.

The future of Cyprus is key for Turkey's own EU bid. EU members have said that Turkey must help reunite the island before it can realize its own membership aspirations.

With some 40,000 troops deployed in the north, Turkey could technically be considered to occupy EU soil after Cyprus enters the bloc, EU members have warned.

Vedat Oktunc said he feared Greek Cypriot domination and voted for the National Unity Party of Dervis Eroglu, who serves as prime minister.

"A win [by pro-Denktash parties] will provide protection," he said.

Some 140,000 people were eligible to vote. About half of the 200,000 people on the Turkish Cypriot side of the island are Turkish settlers who moved to Cyprus after the island's division in 1974. They are expected to largely oppose reunification.

The opposition has pledged to axe Denktash as head negotiator in peace talks with Greek Cypriots.

Denktash will not be standing for re-election until 2005.

The island has been split between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north since Turkish troops invaded in 1974 amid intercommunal fighting that left some 3,000 dead and a short-lived coup by supporters of union with Greece.

A strong vote for the opposition would make it easier for Turkish leaders to press to reunite the island.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of the need to solve the Cyprus problem after coming to power last year.

The powerful military, however, considers Cyprus to be of strategic importance and favors Denktash.
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