EU commissioner Kyprianou resigns

EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou has resigned to become the new Cypriot foreign minister, the European Commission has confirmed.

Mr Kyprianou is a member of the Democratic Party, Cyprus's third largest party which sided with communist leader Demetris Christofias, winner of the presidential election runoff on February 24th.

He was appointed EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs in May 2004, but his portfolio was halved following the arrival of Bulgaria and Romania into the 27-member bloc last year.

"It has always been Kyprianou's dream to negotiate the reunification of Cyprus and he has always kept one eye at home throughout his time in Brussels," a Commission source said.

Mr Kyprianou is expected to be replaced by Androulla Vassiliou, the wife of former Cypriot President George Vassiliou who was in power between 1988 and 1993. She is a member of Cyprus's parliament.

Mr Christofias's election has revived hopes of reunification on the ethnically divided island, which was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek inspired coup and remains a stumbling block to Ankara's EU aspirations.

Mr Christofias takes over today with his investiture in parliament.