1st LD Writethru: Moderate candidate wins Turkish Cypriot election

Center-right politician Mustafa Akinci, a moderate politician who favors a solution to the Cyprus problem, won a runoff election on Sunday, becoming the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community.

With almost all ballots counted in the runoff election Akinci is leading with about 60 percent of the vote, according to figures issued by the election commission.

His opponent, incumbent community leader Dervis Eroglu, a right-wing nationalist, who was considered a hardliner in negotiations for a solution to the long-standing Cyprus problem, received 40 percent of the vote.

It is the first time in recent elections that a Turkish Cypriot leader is elected with so big a vote margin.

Eroglu had received 28.2 percent and Akinci 26.92 percent in the first round.

Akinci, aged 67, has said he will work towards a peace solution in Cyprus, which was split into Greek and Turkish Cypriot regions when Turkey took its northern part in 1974.

The United Nations is expected to shortly announce a resumption of reunification negotiations, which were suspended when Turkey issued a notice to sailors encroaching on the Cypriot continental shelf and send a seismographic ship to explore for natural gas.

The Turkish action followed a demand by Eroglu to discuss the allocation of proceeds from natural gas discovered in Cyprus's offshore exclusive economic zone by U.S.-based Noble Energy.

Akinci said during his electoral campaign that he would concentrate on the elements of a reunification deal with Greek Cypriots, leaving discussion on the allocation of proceeds from resources that will not be exploited for at least three more years.

Akinci predicted his electoral win early in Sunday's voting, stating that "no force can prevent the change".

"I pray the result will be good for Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots and the region," Akinci said.

Eroglu, who is 75, said that if elected would serve a last term before retiring from politics. Endit