Roundup: Moderate candidate becomes new Turkish Cypriot leader

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

His electoral victory led to euphoria over a possible breakthrough in reunification negotiations. It was celebrated by thousands of Turkish Cypriots outside Akinci's electoral headquarters, just a few hundred meters from the Green Line dividing the Greek and Turkish quarters of the capital Nicosia.

They were joined by many Greek Cypriots, including some politicians, who crossed over the dividing line.

Akinci's election was hailed by the Cypriot government which is made up by Greek Cypriots.

President Nicos Anastasiades wrote in his Twitter account that he had a telephone conversation with Akinci.

"The selection of Mustafa Akinci is a hopeful development for our common homeland. We both expressed our desire for a real reunification of our country," he said.

He also wrote that he looks forward to a meeting with Akinci.

Anastasiades and Akinci come from the same town, the port city of Limassol, and share the same dream of reaching an early solution to the Cyprus problem.

The government spokesman told the state radio that Anastasiades will give Akinci the time space he needs to get acquainted with the discussions so far in the negotiations and to set up his negotiating team.

The Turkish Cypriot electoral commission said that with all ballots counted in the runoff election Akinci's share of the vote was 60.5 percent.

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 39.5 percent of the vote.

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 in 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.

United Nations Secretary-General's special advisor on Cyprus, Norwegian diplomat Espen Barth Eide, said in his Twitter account that he called Akinci to congratulate him on his election.

"Looking forward to Cyprus negotiations soon," wrote Eide.

The negotiations were suspended in October 2014, when Turkey issued a notice to sailors encroaching on the Cypriot continental shelf and sent a seismographic ship to explore for natural gas.

Akinci said during his electoral campaign that he would concentrate on the elements of a reunification deal with Greek Cypriots, leaving for later 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.

Analysts specializing in Turkish politics said this was the first Turkish Cypriot election the Turkish government did not meddle with.

"This is because Turkey knows that whoever was elected he will have to toe Ankara's line," said analyst Spyros Athanasiades. Endit