A moderate has won the Turkish Cypriot presidential elections, defeating a hardliner in a pivotal vote that could help revive stalled UN talks on reunifying divided Cyprus.

Centre-left politician Tufan Erhuman sailed to victory in polls on Sunday with 62.8 per cent of the vote from just over 218,000 registered voters, defeating incumbent Ersin Tatar on a platform of reinvigorating talks with estranged Greek Cypriots on the future of Cyprus.

Erhuman, a lawyer, has pledged to explore a federal solution - long supported by the United Nations - to end the island's nearly 50-year division.

Tatar and Turkey, the only country which recognises breakaway North Cyprus, backed a two-state policy, which has been ruled out by Greek Cypriots.

Cyprus was split in 1974 in a Turkish invasion triggered

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