According to the unofficial results of yesterday's (17 April) seventh presidential elections, the Republican Turkish Party and United Forces (CTP-BG) Leader Mehmet Ali Talat secured 55.60% of the votes in the first round and became the second President of the TRNC.

Out of a total of 147,823 voters, 102,853 voters went to the polls and 69.58% of Turkish Cypriots voted in yesterday's elections. The non-official results are as follows:

Mehmet Ali Talat (CTP-BG) - 55.60%

Dervis Eroglu (UBP) - 22.73%

Mustafa Arabacioglu (DP) - 13.22%

Nuri Cevikel (YP) - 4.79%

Zeki Besiktepeli (Independent) - 1.72%

Huseyin Angolemli (TKP) - 1.05%

Zehra Cengiz (KSP) - 0.44%

Salih Kirdag (Independent) - 0.30%

Ayhan Kaymak (Independent) - 0.17%

Speaking after the election results were announced, Mehmet Ali Talat pointing out that he would serve his duty as the President in an impartial manner and on behalf of all the Turkish Cypriot people, stressed that the most important development that would settle the Cyprus issue would be the lifting of the isolation and as the negotiator he would do his best to ensure this. He also called upon the world and the EU to help the Turkish Cypriot people and show understanding.

Indicating that he would visit and congratulate the newly elected President today (18 April) at 10:00am, President Denktas said he help Talat to secure a solid and permanent reconciliation that would protect the state and sovereignty.

According to information received from the Chairman of the High Electoral Board Taner Erginel it was stated that the High Electoral Board would today announce the official results of yesterday's presidential elections and give Mehmet Ali Talat the official report verifying his presidency. One day after the publication of the official results in the Official Gazette the handing over ceremony will take place.

Mehmet Ali TALAT was born in Girne on 6th July 1952. He completed his upper secondary education in Cyprus. He is a graduate of the Middle East Technical University, (METU), Ankara, Turkey, and he was awarded the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1977. After having completed his education, he went into the cooling systems business and was self-employed. Later, he did a masters degree also in the department of international relations at the Eastern Mediterranean University.

His began his political activities during his university education and since then, has continued to take place in democratic, progressive and peace activities. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Turkish Cypriot associations and later the Cypriots Education and Youth Federation (KÖGEF) in Turkey. He was the first Chairman of the KÖGEF.

He actively took part in the youth movement of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and after completing his education he continued to practise as a volunteer in the CTP's activities, particularly organising the party in the villages of his region and encouraging the youth to join the progressive movement. He worked in the local, district and central organs and committees of the Party for several years. He was one of the regular members of the Party Assembly and Central Executive Committee. He acted as the Secretary responsible for the educational affairs of the Party for several years.

He was appointed as the Minister of Education and Culture at the first Democrat Party (DP) – Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Coalition Government that was established after the general elections in December 1993. He had the same ministerial post during the Second Government of the DP – CTP Coalition. He was appointed as the Minister of State and Deputy Prime Minister in the Third DP-CTP Coalition Government.

He was elected as the Chairman of the Republican Turkish Party in its 14th General Congress, which took place on 14 January 1996.

He was elected to the Parliament from the Nicosia district in 1998. He was re-elected to the Parliament from the Nicosia district in the 14 December 2003 general elections and in the 20 February 2005 early general elections and formed the Fourth and Fifth Democrat Party (DP) – Republican Turkish Party-United Forcess (CTP-BG) Coalition Government under his Premiership, respectively.

Having received 55.60% of the votes in the 17 April 2005 Presidential Elections, he is the TRNC's second elected President.

He speaks English and Greek.

He is married and has a daughter and son.

Following the election of the TRNC's new second president yesterday (17 April), active days await all the institutions of the TRNC. With CTP Leader Mehmet Ali Talat's election as President, intensive activities will take place in the Parliament, the government, the ruling CTP party and the Presidency.

According to the Election Ban, following the publication of the election results in the Official Gazette the new President will be sworn in at the Parliament. If the presidential election results are not published in the Official Gazette tomorrow (19 April) the Parliament will gather at an extraordinary meeting tomorrow (19 April) for the swearing in ceremony of the new President. If however the results are published in the Official Gazette tomorrow (19 April) the Parliament will meet on Wednesday (20 April).

Meanwhile, it is expected that before Mehmet Ali Talat takes over as President he will first hand over the government's resignation to President Denktas tomorrow (19 April). After taking over as President, Talat will give the duty of forming the new government to the new Prime Minister.