Vassiliou faces election run-off

NICOSIA (Reuter) - President George Vassiliou won the first round of the Cypriot presidential elections yesterday but fell short of outright victory. He faces a run-off against the second- placed candidate, the conservative Glafcos Clerides, next Sunday.

Official results gave the 61- year-old President - an independent backed by the Communist Party and a small left-wing party, Adisok - 44.15 per cent of the vote. He needed more than 50 per cent for outright victory.

A run-off is expected on 14 February between Mr Vassiliou and Mr Clerides, 73, who lost narrowly to him in 1988.