Polls open in Cyprus presidential race

Greek Cypriots voted to elect a new president on Sunday in a race key to reunification prospects for war-partitioned Cyprus and Turkey's hopes of joining the EU.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (5:00 a.m. British time) and voting was scheduled to end at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT), with final results expected by 1730 GMT. Just over half a million people in the Greek Cypriot south of Cyprus were eligible to vote.

Sunday's election pits Communist leader Demetris Christofias against right-wing backed Ioannis Kassoulides, after the surprise elimination of incumbent hardliner Tassos Papadopoulos in the first round on Feb 17.

Both candidates say they will attempt to broker a deal with Turkish Cypriots to end the conflict keeping Cyprus divided and Turkey out of the European Union.

Cyprus has been split along ethnic lines following violence after independence from Britain in 1960 and a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup.

A breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in north Cyprus is recognised only by Ankara, while the Greek Cypriot south nominally represents the whole island in the EU.