Cyprus voters back hardline Papadopoulos

Cyprus voters gave a major boost to President Tassos Papadopoulos in a parliamentary election yesterday, lavishing approval on a government that has threatened to veto Turkey's EU entry talks.

The first vote since a failed 2004 referendum on a UN peace plan for the divided Mediterranean island, the poll showed most Cypriots backed leaders advocating a tough stance towards Turkey as Ankara negotiates its European Union accession.

Parties that backed the UN blueprint saw support erode, while those that fought it won wider voter approval, led by Papadopoulos's Democratic Party which had the biggest gains.

"From tomorrow morning we must jointly face the possible large challenges which lie ahead and struggle towards our aim, which is a truly functional and viable (Cyprus) solution," Mr Papadopoulos said in a state address.

With all votes counted, his party had 17.91 per cent of the vote compared to 14.84 per cent in 2001 elections. Although the vote does not directly affect the government, analysts said it would strengthen Mr Papadopoulos's hand in dealing with Turkey.

"This is referendum number two," said James Ker-Lindsay at Kingston University in London. "Papadopoulos can take it as an endorsement of his policies and continue to take a hardline stance."

Final results showed big losses for all the parties which had been in favour of a UN power-sharing plan, overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots on the eve of the partitioned island joining the European Union in 2004.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots have lived divided since Turkey invaded Cyprus's north in 1974 in response to a brief Greek-inspired coup. Decades of international efforts to reunite the island have failed.