Cyprus coalition crumbles as key partner to depart

NICOSIA, July 9 (Reuters) Cyprus's governing alliance was on the verge of dissolving today after the island's communist party decided to field its own candidate in elections next year, turning its back on incumbent Tassos Papadopoulos.

Communist AKEL, the main party in the three-member coalition government, yesterday said it planned to back its own leader, Demetris Christofias, for the presidency next year.

A candidate from AKEL, which is the island's largest party, could hurt the chances of a Papadopoulos re-election in the vote scheduled for February 2008. AKEL was due to meet its governing partners on tomorrow.

Papadopoulos, who led his community into the rejection of a United Nations blueprint for Cyprus's reunification in 2004, has not said whether he will seek a second five-year term, but is widely expected to.

''The divorce of the alliance will probably be formalised tomorrow, ''government spokesman Vassilis Palmas told reporters.

''The tripartite alliance will probably dissolve.'' The departure will trigger a cabinet reshuffle, with foreign, interior, transport and health ministers likely to be replaced.

Publicly, AKEL has failed to elaborate on its differences with Papadopoulos. It has however always maintained a more conciliatory line towards Turkish Cypriots, estranged in Cyprus's north since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup.

AKEL members were known to be frustrated with deadlock in Cyprus's reunification talks and a perception that Papadopoulos was not proactive enough in breaking the impasse.

The government today said Papadopoulos had, several days ago, proposed a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in an attempt to break the deadlock. The two sides have not met for a year.

Reuters SV RN1655