Turkish Cypriot right wing poised to win election

An election official gestures as a Turkish Cypriot man (R) prepares his ballot to cast his vote at a polling station in Kyrenia, in the Turkish administered northern part of Cyprus, April 19, 2009.

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Hardline right-wingers appeared set to win a Turkish Cypriot parliamentary election on Sunday, complicating fragile reunification talks with Cyprus's Greek Cypriots.

The two sides launched peace talks aimed at a federal settlement of Cyprus's division in late 2008. Delays in its resolution threaten Turkey's EU membership bid.

With more than 50 percent of the vote counted, the National Unity Party (UBP) stood on 44.19 percent of the parliamentary vote, with the now ruling Republican Turkish Party (CTP) at 29.5 percent.

The UBP has said it wants a two-state settlement on Cyprus, categorically rejected by the Greek Cypriots, who represent the island in the European Union.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded in response to a coup by Greek Cypriot militants aimed at union with Greece.

(Reporting by Simon Bahceli, editing by Ralph Boulton)