Diko to back Iacovou for president

CENTRE right party Diko yesterday announced its backing for George Iacovou in February’s presidential elections. Iacovou is standing as an independent, but has the full backing of the communist party Akel.

Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou said after meetings of the party’s executive and central committees that the party had compared all the possible candidates and had chosen Iacovou as the best all-rounder.

His electoral campaign programme was “very satisfactory”, Kyprianou said. He emphasised that the decision to back Iacovou had been taken in the “national interest” and that his own candidacy was now withdrawn. He said this was in spite of those party members “who had insisted” he stand.

Kyprianou said the decision had been taken with no bitterness towards President Glafcos Clerides whatsoever – but that he trusted Iacovou a lot more than Clerides.

The coalition between Kyprianou’s party and Disy was dissolved several months ago after being formed during the 1993 presidential elections.

Yesterday’s Diko executive committee meeting voted in favour of Iacovou 11 to 2. The decision was later ratified by the central committee, with 79 members in favour and seven against. There were five abstentions.

Speaking after the Diko announcement, Iacovou said he felt confident about the February poll. “I am sure with this decision, my candidacy assumes such a momentum that our victory in the presidential elections will be achieved,” he said.

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