NICOSIA, Cyprus, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Sunday's elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ended in a tie between nationalists and parties ready for concessions to reunite the island.
Each bloc won 25 seats in the new parliament.
Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu of the National Union Party said new elections may be held in three months if neither party can form a government, reports from the island said.
The nationalists maintain a U.N. proposed federation among Greek and Turkish Cypriots would fail to properly protect the Turkish minority. The BBC quoted Eroglu as having said the elections would "determine whether we continue to exist or disappear."
The head of the main pro-EU list, Republican Turkish Party's leader Mehmet Ali Talat, was quoted in the Turkish media as having said the elections proved his people wanted to resolve the Cyprus issue and join the European Union.
The Greek Cypriots are to join the EU in May. Reunification would bring the poorer Turkish area into that organization as well.
