NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – Nearly 150,000 Turkish Cypriots and illegal mainland settlers vote Sunday in a parliamentary election for a government only recognized by Turkey but which is seen as a barometer of prospects for reunification of the war-divided island.

The contest is primarily between the outgoing prime minister, Mehmet Ali Talat of the Republican Turkish Party, and nationalist Dervis Eroglu of the National Unity Party. Talat supported a U.N. reunification plan for the divided island last year while Eroglu strongly opposed it.

But the election has international implications, particularly for Turkey and the European Union.

A sizable victory by Talat could be touted by Turkey as evidence that the Cyprus conflict, which has hindered its EU membership ambitions, is perpetuated by Greek Cypriots.

A strong showing by Eroglu’s party could be seen by Europeans leaders as a sign Turkey is not doing enough to encourage reconciliation.

Talat is strongly favored by the United States and the European Union after backing the U.N. plan in an April referendum. Supporters of reunification have struggled to regain momentum after the plan was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriot voters.

Talat’s chances of winning a clear majority Sunday were boosted after his talks in Belgium earlier this month with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and a visit to his breakaway state this week by a U.S. trade delegation.

Both gestures, rewards for accepting the U.N. plan, were designed to ease the isolation of the renegade state that was imposed because of the Turkish occupation.

Cyprus has been split into the Greek Cypriot-controlled south and the Turkish-occupied north since Turkey invaded in 1974 in the wake of an abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece. The state in the north is only recognized by Turkey, which maintains 40,000 troops there.

Talat’s party has 18 seats while Eroglu’s party has 20 seats in the outgoing 50-seat parliament.

Talat hopes to win a clear majority Sunday so he can form his own government, ending his current uneasy coalition with the Democratic Party of Serdar Denktash which is less willing to make concessions to reunify the island. The party holds five seats in the outgoing parliament.

Denktash is a staunch supporter of his father, Rauf, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader and president of the breakaway state who rejects the U.N. plan. Rauf Denktash insists on full recognition of his state before reunification in the form of a loose bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

Besides the three main parties, the election is also contested by four smaller ones. They have to receive a minimum of 5 percent of the total vote to qualify for seats in parliament.

In an interview on state television Saturday, President Tassos Papadopoulos said he regretted that the election would not reflect the true views of Turkish Cypriots since the majority of voters would be illegal Turkish mainland settlers introduced to the north in the wake of the invasion.

Cyprus was accepted as a EU member in May 2004. The Greek Cypriot government of Papadopoulos said the recognition represented the entire island, though EU laws and regulations do not apply to the occupied north.

Greek Cypriot leaders argue that the U.N. plan would solidify the island’s division through its constitutional provisions and limits on the right of 200,000 Greek Cypriot refugees to return and regain their properties in the north, while letting more than 100,000 Turkish mainland settlers remain, together with a permanent presence of Turkish troops.

Papadopoulos insists a settlement must be based on EU laws and principles as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for the return of refugees and the withdrawal of Turkish troops and settlers.

AP-ES-02-19-05 1509EST

Copy the Story Link