Ankara looms large over Turkish Cypriot election focus 04/17/2010

Ankara looms large over Turkish Cypriot election

focus 04/17/2010 KYRENIA — Whoever emerges victorious from this weekend’s election in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ankara’s writ will still hold sway in the breakaway statelet, analysts believe. The new Turkish Cypriot leader’s room for manoeuvre will very much depend on Turkey’s own policy towards EU member Cyprus at a time when it too aspires to join the European Union, they say. For Turkish Cypriot voters, the choice on Sunday boils down to two men. Incumbent Mehmet Ali Talat, 58, wants a reunified Cyprus and is seeking a second five-year term. His rival is nationalist Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, 71, a veteran politician who leads by 10 percentage points in opinion polls. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100417com3.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Double standard FRONTLINE No changes forthcoming focus Ankara looms large over Turkish Cypriot election