Greek and Turkish Cypriots vote on UN peace plan
Greek and Turkish Cypriots went to the polls Saturday in separate votes on a UN plan to reunify their island divided for 30 years before it joins the European Union on May 1.
But Greek Cypriots appeared likely to throw out the plan, people working for early exit polls told AFP, dooming their Turkish counterparts -- expected to vote for it -- to be excluded from the EU.
A total of 623,801 voters -- 480,165 Greek Cypriots and 143,636 Turkish Cypriots -- are registered to vote on the plan drawn up by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to try to end one of the world's most intractable disputes.
Speaking at a polling station outside Nicosia, rejectionist Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos told his people not to celebrate the referendum result.
"Whatever the outcome there should be no celebrations or the day darkened by any violence," he said.
The referendum campaign in the south has been one of the most acrimonious and tense in recent history with advocates of a "yes" vote claiming to have been victims of intimidation and media bias.
The European Union, the United States and the United Nations have all criticised a lack of balance over how the peace plan was presented by the government and much of the media.
But Papadopoulos, who faced down international pressure and anger at his stance, said that whatever the result it "must be respected by all".
Ironically veteran nationalist Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash stands shoulder to shoulder with his arch rival Papadopoulos in loathing the plan.
In the Ankara-controlled breakaway north, he described the deal, composed by UN chief Kofi Annan, as "a disagreement between the two sides".
"We can be pushed around, kicked around, told what to do," he said.
"We don't know what is good for us. The United States, the United Kingdom and the EU know better," Denktash added, tapping into both Greek and Turkish nationalist fears of foreign meddling to the detriment of islanders.
But Turkish Cypriot prime minister Mehmet Ali Talat, who has campaigned for a "yes" vote, said "our aim is to create a one-state Cyprus and an order in which long-time sufferings have no place".
Polling stations were to stay open until 6:00 pm (1500 GMT). The results are expected around an hour later, but most Turkish Cypriots questioned by AFP said they had voted "yes".
"We want the status quo to change for the sake of our grandchildren so they can become members of the European Union. I have a grandson in Britain. I hope he will come back if there is a solution," 74-year-old Beyhan Ozsarihan said.
In the south, many Greek Cypriots said they were proud to reject what they see as an unfair plan that rewards Turkey's invasion of the island in 1974 in response to a Greek Cypriot coup.
"This plan does not give us our rights and freedom. Think of Kosovo. If there is a 'yes,' that could happen here," said Antonios Antoniou, 41, an accountant who fled his home in the north after the invasion.
The Greek Cypriots who said they had voted "yes" were sombre, saying the best they could hope for was a second referendum later on.
Gregory Philippou, a motorbike mechanic said he had agonised before deciding to vote "yes".
"Our only security is trust. We must trust them (Turkish Cypriots) for them to trust us. That's the best security," he told AFP as he cast his ballot.
Some people said they had switched from an initial "no" in the hope that a "yes" percentage would be enough to engineer a second vote on an improved version of the plan.
Annan however has warned there is "no plan B", while the EU says Greek Cypriots cannot count on Brussels to give them what they want.
The 9,000-page plan provides for two separate governments under a six-strong collegiate presidency of four Greek Cypriots and two Turkish Cypriots.
The Turkish Cypriot side would be reduced to about 29 percent of the island against 36 percent now, but Greek Cypriot opportunities to settle, invest and buy property in the north would be limited.
Turkey and Greece would retain 6,000 troops on the island until 2011 when they would gradually be reduced to a few hundred on both sides.
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