EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz has welcomed the outcome of presidential elections in Cyprus. Nicos Anastasiades captured 57.5 per cent of the vote in a run-off against communist rival Stavros Malas on Sunday. Anastasiades, the leader of Cyprus centre-right party, immediately vowed to resume talks quickly with international bailout lenders and finalise a €17bn rescue by the end of March. Anastasiades' victory is likely to come as a relief to most EU leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel, who had wearied with outgoing president Demetris Christofias, who failed to secure a deal for more than a year to an EU and International Monetary Fund bailout. Anastasiades will also now aim to exploit massive natural gas finds off Cyprus' coast, bringing in badly needed income and energy, but risking escalating tensions with Turkey.
Pray: for the new government of Cyprus that it will bring stability to the country. (Pr.29:4)