Turkish Cypriot president congratulates Anastasiades

By Murat Demirci

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (AA) - Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci on Monday congratulated Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades for his reelection on Sunday.

“I hope in his second term Mr. Anastasiadis follows a more constructive and realistic policy for lasting peace and serenity for Cypriots,” Akinci said on Twitter.

Anastasiades was re-elected Greek Cypriot leader in the second round of the election on Sunday.

In the first round on Jan. 28, none of the candidates passed the 50 percent threshold.

Anastasiades, supported by the conservative Democratic Rally (DISI) party, got 56 percent of the vote while Stavros Malas, supported by the communist Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL), got 44 percent, according to exit polls.

Turnout was 73 percent.

The Greek Cypriot polls come in the wake of Jan. 7 general elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot administration's neighbor on the divided Eastern Mediterranean island.

In the wake of the twin polls, peace negotiations with the TRNC are expected to resume.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Greek Cypriot coup was followed by violence against the island's Turks, and Ankara's intervention as a guarantor power.

Cyprus has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including the latest initiative in Switzerland under the auspices of guarantor countries Turkey, Greece and Britain collapsing last year.

Turkey blames Greek Cypriot intransigence for the talks' failure, also faulting the European Union for admitting Cyprus as a divided island into the union in 2004 after Greek Cypriot voters rejected a peace deal.