Report: Christofias wins Cyprus presidency

NICOSIA, Cyprus, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Communist Party leader Demetris Christofias won Sunday's second round of presidential elections in Cyprus, it was reported.

Euronews.net reported Christofias defeated right-wing leader Ioannis Kasoulides and will now become the first Communist leader to serve as president of Cyprus in the Mediterranean country's history.

In addition, Christofias' win marks the first time a Communist Party official will serve as the leader of a European Union member nation.

Christofias' win came after the surprising defeat of incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos in the first round of presidential elections.

Prior to Sunday's run-off election, both Christofias and Kasoulides swore to focus their potential presidency on reunification efforts with Turkish Cypriots.

Christofias said his ties with labor leaders in the Turkish partition make him the candidate who can best proceed on the reunification front, while Kasoulides, who was favored by the European Union and Western officials, said he would resume negotiations immediately if elected president.

The Turkish-Cypriot northern portion of the country split from the internationally recognized Greek-Cypriot south in 1974 and has only been officially recognized by Turkey, Euronews.net said.