Turkish Cypriots vote in snap polls

NICOSIA: Turkish Cypriots yesterday voted in a snap parliamentary election overshadowed by last year’s failure to reach a peace deal for the divided island in UN-backed talks, reports AFP.

More than 190,500 people are registered to vote in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), established in the wake of Turkey’s 1974 invasion of the island in response to an Athens-backed coup.

The vote comes ahead of presidential polls later this month in the internationally recognised Greek-majority Republic of Cyprus with peace efforts on hold until both sets of elections are over.

Polling stations opened at 0600 GMT and are to close at 1600 GMT.

The election in the northern third of Cyprus comes six months after efforts to reunify the island collapsed at a UN-hosted peace summit in Switzerland over a number of disputes, including the withdrawal of Turkey’s 45,000 troops.

 

Turkish Cypriots vote in snap polls

NICOSIA: Turkish Cypriots yesterday voted in a snap parliamentary election overshadowed by last years failure to reach a peace deal for the divided island in UN-backed talks, reports AFP. More than 190,500 people are registered to vote in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), established in the wake of Turkeys 1974 invasion of the island in response to an Athens-backed coup. The vote comes ahead of presidential polls later this month in the internationally recognised Greek-majority Republic of Cyprus with peace efforts on hold until both sets of elections are over. Polling stations opened at 0600 GMT and are to close at 1600 GMT. The election in the northern third of Cyprus comes six months after efforts to reunify the island collapsed at a UN-hosted peace summit in Switzerland over a number of disputes, including the withdrawal of Turkeys 45,000 troops.