Editing Cyprus problem (section)

===2008 elections in the Republic of Cyprus===
[[File:Nicosia 3 April 2008 07.jpg|thumb|Opening of [[Ledra Street]] in April 2008]]
In the [[2008 Cypriot presidential election|2008 presidential elections]], Papadopoulos was defeated by [[Progressive Party of Working People|AKEL]] candidate [[Dimitris Christofias]], who pledged to restart talks on reunification immediately.<ref name=cnnfeb24>{{cite news|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/24/cyprus.election.ap/index.html|title=Christofias wins Cyprus presidency|date=24 February 2008|access-date=25 February 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080229001913/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/24/cyprus.election.ap/index.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 29 February 2008}}</ref> Speaking on the election result, [[Mehmet Ali Talat]] stated that "this forthcoming period will be a period during which the Cyprus problem can be solved within a reasonable space of time – despite all difficulties – provided that there is will".<ref name=kktcb>{{cite news|publisher=TRNC Presidency website|url=http://www.kktcb.eu/index.php?tpl=show_news&id=242|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305101336/http://www.kktcb.eu/index.php?tpl=show_news&id=242|url-status=usurped|archive-date=5 March 2008|title=President Talat's Statement on 25 February 2008 on the Results of the Greek Cypriot Elections |date=27 February 2008|access-date=27 February 2008}}</ref> Christofias held his first meeting as president with the Turkish Cypriot leader on 21 March 2008 in the [[United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus|UN buffer zone]] in Nicosia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7308128.stm|title=Cyprus leaders begin peace talks|work=BBC News|date=21 March 2008}}</ref> At the meeting, the two leaders agreed to launch a new round of "substantive" talks on reunification, and to reopen [[Ledra Street]], which has been cut in two since the [[Cypriot intercommunal violence|intercommunal violence]] of the 1960s and has come to symbolise the island's division.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7308912.stm|title=Cyprus peace back on the agenda|author=Tabitha Morgan|work=BBC News|date=21 March 2008}}</ref> On 3 April 2008, after barriers had been removed, the [[Ledra Street]] crossing was reopened in the presence of Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/03/europe/EU-GEN-Cyprus-Ledra-Street.php "Ledra Street crossing opens in Cyprus"]. ''International Herald Tribune''. Associated Press. 3 April 2008.</ref>