Cyprus votes in tight three-way presidential race

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Greek Cypriots were voting for a newpresident on Sunday in a cliff-hanger vote crucial for thereunification prospects of the war-divided island, and Turkey'schances of joining the European Union.

Under overcast skies, polling stations for about 516,000voters opened at 5 a.m. British time. They close at 3 p.m.British time, with final results in by around 6:30 p.m. Britishtime.

"Polling stations opened on time, and some people havevoted already," said chief election officer Lazaros Savvides.No problems were reported, he said.

The election hopes of the three key contenders are hangingby a thread. Incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos and challengersDemetris Christofias and Ioannis Kassoulides are virtually tiedin opinion polls, making a February 24 runoff likely.

The winner will be mandated to seek a peace deal to reuniteCyprus's ethnic Greeks and Turks, who have been split since aTurkish invasion in 1974 sparked by a brief Greek-inspiredcoup.

Turkey's chances of joining the EU hinge on a settlement onthe island, but the conflict is one which has consistentlydefied mediation.

At Papadopoulos's urging, Greek Cypriots rejected a UnitedNations peace blueprint in 2004 calling for reunification withnorthern Cyprus and power sharing with Turkish Cypriots. Theplan was accepted by Turkish Cypriots, who run a breakawaystate in north Cyprus recognised only by Ankara.

Failure of the 2004 bid saw a divided, Greek Cypriot-ledCyprus joining the EU, shutting out Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus has veto rights over Turkey's EU aspirations, andhas successfully managed to partially freeze Ankara's EU entrytalks. Mediators are expected to launch a new effort this yearand before 2009, when the EU reviews Turkish compliance todemands it opens its ports and airports to Greek Cypriottraffic.

"We want a president who will try to get the best solutionpossible," said 43-year-old Demetris Antoniou at a pollingstation in a suburb of the capital Nicosia.

Asked whether any of the three candidates could offer that,he said: "I don't think so."

Christofias and Kassoulides pledge a more moderate approachin trying to strike a deal with Turkish Cypriots.

Challengers say Papadopoulos's poor negotiating tacticshave pushed the island to the verge of partition. Papadopoulossays he is prepared to negotiate a deal, but will not acceptanything which sells his community short.

(Additional reporting by Stelios Orphanides; Editing byJanet Lawrence)