NICOSIA (AFX) - The prime minister of the breakaway Turkish statelet in occupied northern Cyprus has resigned, dissolving his two-party coalition government and sparking a political crisis.
Ferdi Sabit Soyer's resignation followed a decision on Friday by his centre-left Republican Turkish Party to part ways with its coalition partner, the centre-right Democrat Party, because of disputes largely over the fate of the divided island.
The two parties have been at odds over efforts for the reunification of the eastern Mediterranean island, which has been divided since a 1974 Turkish invasion of the north.
The Democrat Party led by Serdar Denktash, the son of former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, follows a more nationalist line, refusing to make concessions to the internationally-recognised Cyprus government.
"There were problems in the coalition. We tried to solve them, but failed," Soyer told reporters after submitting his resignation to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
Talat is widely expected to nominate Soyer again as prime minister designate as the Republican Party holds half the 50 seats in the parliament of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied its northern third in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.
The TRNC, declared in 1983, is recognised only by Ankara.
The Greek Cypriot-led government of the Republic of Cyprus has international recognition and is a member of the European Union.
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