Communist-Inspired Candidate Wins Cyprus Election

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Communist-rooted Dimitris Christofias won Cyprus's crucial presidential runoff yesterday, and supporters flooded onto the streets of Nicosia waving Cypriot flags and banners of Che Guevara. Final results showed Mr. Christofias won with 53.36% of the vote, against 46.64% for conservative rival Ioannis Kasoulides, who conceded defeat and pledged his support in efforts to reunify the divided country.

Reunification of the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north would remove one of the obstacles to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. It would also ease strong objections to Kosovo's new independence among Greek Cypriots who fear it would act as a precedent for north Cyprus. Mr. Christofias becomes the European Union's only communist-rooted leader.