Cyprus Elects Communist President

Interesting international changes going on—just as a leftist pro-unification leader is kicked out in favor of a right-leaning realist in the Republic of Korea, a leftist pro-unification leader is elected in Cyprus.

Cyprus Elects Communist President

NICOSIA, Cyprus, Feb. 24—Communist leader Demetris Christofias won a crucial presidential runoff in Cyprus on Sunday. He pledged to restart moribund talks to reunify the island and immediately agreed to meet the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots.

Jubilant supporters flooded the streets of Nicosia, Europe’s last divided capital, waving Cypriot and Che Guevara flags, honking car horns and lighting flares.

“We have a common vision . . . to reunite our people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” Christofias said in his victory speech.

“I extend a hand of friendship to the Turkish Cypriot people and their leadership,” he said, thanking Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat for telephoning to congratulate him and saying he looked forward to “substantial cooperation for the benefit of both communities.”

Best of luck to Christofias in uniting Cyprus, where he has a far better odds of succeeding that the idealist President Roh working to push the two Korean states closer together.