ANKARA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Cypriots are expected to go to early polls on Sunday to elect their new parliament
representatives, Anatolia News Agency reported on Saturday.

   Sunday's election will be the ninth for the Turkish Cypriot community, said the report.

   The polls will open at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and close at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) with a total of 147,249 voters expected to cast their ballots.

   All election propaganda ends at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Saturday, added the report.

   Seven parties will participate in the election, namely UBP (National Unity Party), CTP (Republican Turkish Party), DP
(Democrat Party), BDH (Peace and Democracy Movement), TKP (Communal Liberation Party), MAP (Nationalist Justice Party) and YP (New Party).

   The self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was forced to call early elections after the ruling coalition lost its slim majority in the parliament in May.

   Political stability in the TRNC is seen as crucial for the Cyprus issue, which has faltered since a UN plan was rejected by Greek Cypriots while approved by Turkish Cypriots last April.

   Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops entered the northern part of the island in response to a failed coup seeking union with Greece.

   Turkey, which still keeps over 30,000 troops in northern Cyprus, is the only state that recognizes the TRNC, declared in 1983.  Enditem