LEFKOSA - The Republican Turkish Party (CTP) chaired by Mehmet Ali Talat won Sunday's parliamentary elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) by gaining 24 seats at the TRNC parliament comprised of 50 parliamentarians.
The National Unity Party (UBP) of Dervis Eroglu won 19 seats at the parliament, while the Democrat Party (DP) led by Serdar Denktas will have 6 representatives at the parliament. On the other hand, Peace & Democracy Movement (BDH) will have only one representative at the TRNC parliament.
Below is the unofficial results of the TRNC general elections:
Total ballot boxes : 575
Opened ballot boxes : 575
Number of voters : 147249
Number of voters who cast votes: 118912
Number of valid votes : 1294009
Rate of participation : 80.76 percent

Name of party/Votes gained/Percent:
CTP/575188/44.45
UBP/410322 /31.71
DP/174614/13.49
BDH/75146/5.81
TKP/31146/2.41
YP/20761/1.60
MAP/6772/0.52
Ozturk Ismailoglu/35
Delil Akbulut/25

(TKP stands for Communal Liberation Party, MAP stands for Nationalist Justice Party, YP stands for New Party, and Delil Akbulut & Ozturk Ismailoglu are independent candidates.)

-TALAT SAYS TURKISH CYPRIOTS WANT SOLUTION & PEACE-

After the elections, TRNC Prime Minister and CTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that his party gained a success in elections since it increased its votes by about 10 percent, and stressed that Turkish Cypriot people showed their willingness for a solution and peace and reunification of the island.
Commenting on some recent statements of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, Talat said that Cyprus problem was between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. Noting that Turkey, Greece and Britain were guarantor states, Talat said, ''however, the address of solution is Cyprus.''
Talat stressed that a solution was possible in the island till October 3rd (when the EU plans to open full membership negotiations with Turkey). But, he added this depended on the stance of the Greek Cypriot administration.

-DENKTAS SAYS THEIR PEOPLE SUPPORTED GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES-

On the other hand, TRNC Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister and DP leader Serdar Denktas said that the votes of Turkish Cypriot people showed that they supported the policies of their coalition government (formed by CTP).

-TURKISH FM CONGRATULATES PARTIES THAT WIN ELECTIONS-

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called the leaders of four political parties who will be represented at TRNC parliament at the end of Sunday's general elections.
Gul congratulated CTP leader Talat, UBP leader Eroglu, DP leader Denktas and BDH leader Mustafa Akinci on winning the required votes to be represented at the parliament.

-EUROPEAN COMMISSION WELCOMES RESULT OF TRNC ELECTIONS-

In the meantime, the European Commission welcomed the result of the general elections held in TRNC.
The Commission said that the result of the elections indicated that Turkish Cypriots wanted to integrate with the EU and backed reunification of the island.
In its statement, the Commission expressed decisiveness to put into implementation the financial assistance for Turkish Cypriots worth 259 million Euros as soon as possible in order to end isolation of these people, contribute to a solution and help economic development of Turkish Cypriot people.

-CTP-DP COALITION: MOST VALID SCENARIO AFTER ELECTIONS-

The CTP could not have the required votes to form a government on its own at the end of yesterday's (Sunday's) elections although it has increased its votes at great extent when compared with the previous elections.
CTP, which has managed to have 24 parliamentarians at the 50-seat TRNC parliament will probably form a coalition government with the DP led by Serdar Denktas after this parliamentary elections.
Talat and Denktas had paid attention not to strongly criticize each other and signaled that they might form a coalition government together during the propaganda they made before yesterday's parliamentary elections.
CTP increased its votes by 10 percent yesterday when compared with the parliamentary elections held in TRNC on December 14th, 2003, and thus will be represented by 24 people at the parliament. On the other hand, DP will be represented by 6 parliamentarians at the end of this elections.
If CTP and DP agree to form a coalition government, this new government will be comprised of 31 parliamentarians. Since CTP and DP leaders have stated that they would not form a coalition government with the UBP, CTP-DP coalition is thought to be the strongest possibility.
When the fact that a government can be formed in TRNC with a majority of 26 parliamentarians is taken into consideration, a coalition possibility in which CTP does not take place does not seem possible in this new parliament.

-PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS ABOVE EXPECTATIONS-

Although TRNC people have joined three elections, including a general elections, a referendum and a local elections in the last 14 months, the participation in yesterday's elections was more than expected. 80.76 percent of Turkish Cypriot people cast their votes for their new parliament yesterday.
Turkish Cypriots will also vote to elect their new president about two months later.

-TALAT'S STANCE EMBRACING EVERYBODY-

CTP leader Talat, in the first speech he made after the elections, gave messages of unity and solidarity and stressed that they would be ''everybody's government''.
Pointing out that coming days were critical days for the Cyprus controversy, Talat called on everybody who wanted fair, lasting and equal peace in Cyprus to support them. This unifying course of Talat is considered as a big possibility that he will declare his candidacy for the presidency.