(AA) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday congratulated the president-elect of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for his victory in last week’s elections.
Mustafa Akinci was sworn in Thursday as the fourth president of the country.
“The secretary reaffirmed U.S. support for the negotiation process, conducted under the auspices of the UN and Special Adviser (Espen Barth) Eide to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation,” said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
She added that Kerry also pledged “to assist the process in any way the parties find useful.”
As an independent candidate, Akinci won the runoff presidential election Sunday, garnering 60 percent of the vote. Akinci’s predecessor, Dervis Eroglu, received 40 percent of the vote.
Cyprus has been divided since a Greek Cypriot coup to unite the island with Greece was thwarted by a Turkish military intervention and peace operation in 1974.
Turkish Cypriots set up its own republic in 1983 while maintaining the search for reconciliation.
The European Union recognizes the Greek-Cypriot administration on the island, but Turkey recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus diplomatically.
