Search for coalition government in Cyprus

Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu submitted his resignation earlier this week to start the government-forming process. Parties in two rival blocs got 25 parliamentary seats each in the 50-seat legislature in Sunday’s election.

Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turks’ Party (CTP), which received the largest portion of votes in the polls, visited his closest rival, Dervis Eroglu, whose National Unity Party (UBP) was ranked second.

None of the leaders dismissed prospects for a coalition government.

"Everything is possible," said Eroglu, when asked if a broad coalition of all major parties was under consideration. "It will be clear after the parties meet to see if they can proceed on a common ground."

Talat, whose party favors a settlement on the basis of U.N. Secretary- General Kofi Annan’s plan, said the CTP was still after a united Cyprus joining the European Union in May 2004. "We do not exclude any government model in the light of these parameters. What is important is the solution of the Cyprus problem," Talat said.

Talat also held a meeting with Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party (DP), as part of his round of talks. Denktas said his party appeared to be in a key position, capable of both creating and resolving a deadlock, and added that the DP had no intention of creating a deadlock.