Communist leader wins presidency
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Communist leader Dimitris Christofias won Cyprus’ presidential runoff, pledging to restart talks to reunify the island and immediately agreeing 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.
An official at the office of Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said the two sides wanted to meet soon but no specifics had been announced.
Christofias and his closest rival had campaigned on promises to reunify the island, split since 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece.
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