| week, Senator Barack Obama beat John McCain in | | | | This is largely due to the long standing presidencies of |
| the presidential elections for the USA, to become the | | | | Rauf Denktash in North Cyprus and Tassos |
| first black president of the country. Citizens of nations | | | | Papadopoulos in the Republic of Cyprus.Both were |
| across the world are heralding the news as a triumph, | | | | staunch isolationists, and refused for some years to |
| calling the ascension of a citizen of African-American | | | | even enter into negotiations. |
| descent to the White House a 'world changing' event. | | | | In 2004, though, the brilliant work of former Secretary |
| Ramifications of the appointment will tremor throughout | | | | General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, led to the |
| the world. Already, the British press is discussing the | | | | acceptance of the Annan Plan Referendum in 2004. |
| potential reconciliation of the 'special relationship' with | | | | Each side of the island was allowed to vote on |
| America, with Gordon Brown being one of Obama's | | | | reunification of the island, and if both North Cyprus and |
| long standing and most vocal supporters; the | | | | the Republic of Cyprus voted in favour of Cyprus |
| Republicans, in the run up to the result, even accused | | | | Reunification, then the two presidents agreed to take |
| Brown of breaking international political tradition and | | | | to reunification. |
| implicitly backing Senator Obama with his continual | | | | Unfortunately the persuasive powers of Tassos |
| words of encouragement. | | | | Papadopoulos meant the the Greek Cypriots voted |
| Sarkozy and Merkel, president of France and | | | | 'no' to the referendum, though North Cyprus voted |
| Chancellor of Germany respectively, have also | | | | 'yes'. |
| offered their support, and opinion polls prior to the | | | | The New Presidencies |
| election showed landslide majorities for Senator | | | | One part of the reason that North Cyprus voted 'yes' |
| Obama in Europe's most powerful nations. | | | | was the effort of their then-prime minister Mehmet Ali |
| The world, then, looks set for a change, and the | | | | Talat, who defied Rauf Denktash in his attempts to |
| importance of it cannot be denied. But as one | | | | curb positive voting. |
| continent sees vast change, as the states of America | | | | He then took over from Denktash as president in |
| unite to vote in their first black president, the small | | | | 2005, and has since pushed heavily on the island and in |
| island of Cyprus, nestled between Greece and Turkey | | | | Ankara, for a reunification settlement. From there, he |
| in the Mediterranean sea, is patiently waiting for a | | | | was joined by Dimitris Christofias at the start of this |
| solution to its own problem. | | | | year, who replaced Papadopoulos and also pledged to |
| Cyprus Reunification and the Cyprus Problem | | | | solve the Cyprus reunification issue. |
| Since 1974, when Turkey invaded North Cyprus to | | | | So as Barack Obama takes office in January, and |
| protect the island under the treaty of guarantee - | | | | begins to try to right the wrongs of American foreign |
| Greek Cypriots had mounted a coup just months | | | | policy and the Bush administration, perhaps we will also |
| earlier - Cyprus has been partitioned. Several attempts, | | | | see the return of the island of Cyprus to a unified |
| generally from outside the island, in the international | | | | island, thanks to the efforts of Dimitris Christofias and |
| diplomatic community, have failed to reunify the island. | | | | Mehmet Ali Talat. |