Rebuke from EU ahead of Cyprus vote

CYPRUS: The EU enlargement commissioner, Mr Günter Verheugen, yesterday accused Greek Cypriots of being motivated by selfishness and greed in their expected rejection in a referendum today of the UN's reunification plans for the Mediterranean island.

Mr Verheugen, who earlier this week accused the Greek Cypriot government of negotiating the plan in bad faith, told German television yesterday that the efforts to reunify Cyprus risked failing because Greek Cypriots don't want to give up revenue from tourism.

"It would be almost as if the Germans had said No to the German reunification in a referendum," he claimed, citing "very tangible economic interests" behind the Greek Cypriots' course.

The wealthy hotel owners in the south of the island feared "that the north, which is only little developed for tourists, but in reality is more attractive, could become a competition for them."

Mr Verheugen described the likely failure of a reunification plan, which took five years to negotiate, a "very, very big disappointment".

Some 480,000 Greek and 143,600 Turkish Cypriots will go to the polls today to decide whether the island will enter the EU on May 1st.

The polls will be open from seven in the morning till six at night in north and south and the results are expected to be announced at the same time in both sectors of the capital. The ballot, in Greek and Turkish, asks if voters approve the UN-drafted Foundation Agreement, its annexes, and the constitution and laws of their cantons with the aim of creating "a new state of affairs in which Cyprus joins the European Union united."

Although it would be a miracle if the Greek Cypriots vote Yes, to match the expected Turkish Cypriot Yes, majorities on both sides of the Green Line which divides them want reunification in a bizonal, bicommunal federation. But while the isolated, poorer Turkish Cypriots are eager for a solution, the internationally recognised, richer Greek Cypriots remain opposed to certain aspects of the framework laid down by the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan.

For them, the problem is the Annan plan itself, not the goal of reaching a solution which they deem to be fair to both communities. For many Cypriots on both sides, the Annan plan should not be the last word.

Rejectionist minorities on both sides indulged in ugly behaviour ahead of the vote. Greek Cypriot teenagers emerged from their schools wearing "Oxi" (No) badges to harass anyone believed to belong to the "Nai" (Yes) camp and Bishop Paul of Kyrenia warned those Nai-sayers that they would go to hell.

Across the line, at least two mainland Turkish generals organised the opposition camp and some 300 Turks belonging to the chauvinist Grey Wolves movement terrorised pro-plan Turkish Cypriots, beating five young men badly enough to put them in hospital.

Whatever the outcome of the referendums, by voting simultaneously on the UN plan, Greek and Turkish Cypriots are taking one giant step towards each other.