Cyprus election may oust Kyprianou

Press, 7 May 1981, Page 16

Cyprus election may oust Kyprianou

By

JULIET PEARCE

in Nicosia

Political tempers are rising on the Greek side of the Cyprus barricades as the campaign for the May 24 elections gathers momentum. Seven parties — for a population of half-a-million — are vying for the 35 seats in the House of Representatives. Despite the wide political spectrum, not one candidate has come up with any practical new ideas to end the island’s division into two hostile zones, Greek and Turkish. The presence of Turkish troops in the north of the island weighs heavily on the campaign. Slogans at mass rallies demand the “liberation” of Cyprus and deplore the plight of thousands of Greek-Cypriots displaced by the creation of a separate Turkish-Cypriot State. In fact, the campaign has slowed the intercommunal negotiations seeking ways to

end the deadlock. The Turkish side wants' to wait and see which way the political pendulum swings., before tabling firm territorial proposals. The vote is expected to sanction a nevi, pro-Western, conservative force represented by DISI, the . Democratic Rally Party of Mr Glafkos Clerides, a World War Two gunner in the British Royal Air Force. Until now, DISL has had only one member in'the House, although it polled close to 30 per cent of the popular vote. A new system of proportional representation is expected to give DISI a phalanx pf M.P.s. At the same time, however, the Communist Akel Party is expected ’to keep its strength, which before dissolution of the House consisted of nine members. Although the population of Cyprus is of rural stock and under strong influence from the Greek Orthodox Church, Akel has established a solid

political base. Part of its appeal is its insistence on following the “guidelines” set by the late Archbishop-President Makarios. The biggest loser might be President Spyros Kyprianou’s Democratic Party, DIKO. Eroded by desertions and its leader’s lack of charisma, DIKO’s parliamentary strength has dwindled from 17 seats to nine in the past year. The vote may set the stage for early presidential elections, which are not constitutionally due for two years. Early elections could be called if President Kyprianou loses more support; some of his opponents already speculate about his possible resignation. What is certain is that the elections will pinpoint the man most likely to succeed in the next presidential race. Western embassies are putting their bets on Mr Clerides.

The Turks, who watch the campaign from across the fortified demarcation line, are

i doubtful about Mr Clerides’ I ability to speak for the GreekCypriot community because he does not have the backing of the Greek Orthodox Church. Nonetheless, Mr Clerides is perhaps the only man capable of making a dent in the wall of hostility between the two communities, partly because of his personal relationship with the Turkish-Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, and partly because of his pragmatic approach to Turkish claims. In his campaign speeches, Mr Clerides has been restrained, promising to work for ‘a national, Cyprian solution.’ A veteran politician, Mr Clerides intends to polarise the electorate between the Right and the Left, between those who have ruled the island for the past 20 years and the ‘rising forces of change.’ The other parties include the Socialist EDEK, led by Mr Vassos Lyssarides; PAME, the Pan-Cyprian Front for Change

led by Mr Chrisostomos Sofianos; the New Democratic Party of Mr Alecos Michaelides; and the Centre Union Party of Mr Tassos Papadopoulos, a former Cabinet Minister and a well-known fighter during the guerrilla struggle against Britain. Apart from the issue of the Turkish military presence, economic problems figure prominently in the campaign. The much-publicised ‘Cyprus economic miracle’ appears to have been ended by the international recession and cuts in the flow of aid which followed the 1974 Turkish landing. Western embassies evaluating aid requests feel most refugees have been comfortably housed and that Cyprus no longer needs international charity. Inflation is now running at 13 per cent, and to many Greek-Cypri-ots that is almost as serious as the Turkish guns in the north of the island.—Copyright, London Observer Service.