The newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar talks to his supporters after winning the Turkish Cypriots election in the Turkish occupied area in the north part of the divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Ersin Tatar, a hardliner who favors even closer ties with Turkey and a tougher stance with rival Greek Cypriots in peace talks has defeated the leftist incumbent in the Turkish Cypriot leadership runoff. Only Turkey recognizes a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north that is economically and militarily dependent on Ankara. The island’s internationally recognized government has its seat in the Greek Cypriot south and is part of the 27-nation European Union. Turkish Cypriot broadcaster BRT says with 100% of the votes counted, Tatar secured 51.74% of the vote compared to 48.26% for Akinci.

He’s also a champion of Turkish Cypriots who oppose Turkey’s complete domination of their affairs. His hardline challenger Ersin Tatar, 60, advocates fully aligning Turkish Cypriots with Turkish policies, such as pursuing a two-state deal instead of a federation. Since then, the agreed-upon arrangement that would restore Turkish Cypriots to the international fold is a federation of two separately administered zones. Ankara says it’s got every right to look for energy reserves there and that it's also defending Turkish Cypriots' rights. Greek Cypriots say Turkish Cypriots’ share to a potential gas bounty is already guaranteed.

Turkish Cypriot leader and candidate Mustafa Akinci talks after casting his ballot at a polling station during the Turkish Cypriots election for a new leader in the Turkish occupied area in the north part of the divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Nedim Enginsoy)NICOSIA – A leftist incumbent will take on a hard-line challenger in a runoff to decide who will lead Turkish Cypriots in overcoming deep political chasms with rival Greek Cypriots to end a nearly half-century of ethnic division in Cyprus and quell tensions over offshore energy reserves. “Despite this, the Turkish Cypriot people managed to show their will at the ballot box," Akinci said. The Famagusta suburb has remained off-limits and under Turkish military control since 1974 when its Greek Cypriot residents fled advancing Turkish troops. U.N. resolutions said any attempt to settle the suburb with anyone other than its Greek Cypriot residents would be “inadmissible."

As of June 8, Turkish Cypriots who work, study or receive medical care in the south will be permitted to cross through points where vehicles can traverse, Cyprus government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said. Vehicles can use most of the nine crossing points along a 120-mile (nearly 200-kilometer) U.N.-controlled buffer zone. The announcement came after Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades contacted Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on the same day when most restrictions of a stay-at-home order in the south expired. Turkish Cypriots shut all crossing points a couple of weeks later. Cyprus was split 46 years ago when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece.