Greek cypriots say no

[dplax]

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Greek Cypriots have overwhelmingly rejected a U.N. plan to unite their divided Mediterranean island, while their Turkish neighbors to the north supported the plan, according to exit polls by CNN-Turk.

Voters streamed into the polls to decide separate, simultaneous referendums Saturday held in the north and in the Greek Orthodox south.

At least 76 percent of Greek Cypriots voted against the referendum while 65 percent of Turkish Cypriots were in favor of the referendum, the polls showed as of 1:34 p.m. EDT (8:34 p.m. local time). Both the Turks and the Greeks would have had to approve it for it to take effect.

The referendum is economically important to Cyprus. It means that only the wealthier, Greek side will become part of the European Union on May 1, which international analysts say could damage the island's economic future.

Turkish politicians also hoped the plan would turn things around for them.

"We are not producing as much as we should because of the economic isolation, so once there's a resolution of this conflict and become a member of the European Union, we'll expect lots of direct investment in this country," Ozdil Nami, a Turkish Cypriot politician said before the vote.

Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots were voting on whether to accept a plan by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan that would reunify Cyprus after 30 years of division.

The international community has pushed hard for acceptance of the plan ahead of Cyprus' May 1 entry to the E.U.

The proposal was submitted only after Cyprus' leaders -- as well as Greece and Turkey -- failed to agree on reunification ahead of E.U. enlargement.

Turkish Cypriots regarded the U.N. plan as a way to ease poverty that has come with their international isolation since the Turkish invasion in 1974 that divided the island. Only Turkey recognizes the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state.

But Greek Cypriots believed the U.N. power-sharing plan did not give them enough territory and guarantees about the withdrawal of 30,000 Turkish troops stationed in the north.

"I voted against the plan," shopkeeper Loucas Constantinou told Reuters on Saturday. "I am at peace with my conscience."

Cyprus, with a population of about 800,000, was torn apart by ethnic violence in the 1960s and then by the Turkish invasion after a Greek Cypriot coup tried to unite Cyprus with Greece.

Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, who had defied calls for reunification from world leaders like U.S. President George W. Bush, had earlier called for a peaceful vote.

"Whatever the result, there should be no jubilation, and no incidents to blacken this day. Greek and Turkish Cypriots deserve better days," he said after casting his vote.

The U.N. has warned that if the plan drawn up by Annan is rejected, no new solution will be tabled in the near future.

But Papadopoulos urged Cypriots to ignore such threats. Although he rejected the plan, dealing a huge blow to the "yes" campaign, the Greek Cypriot leader said he wanted it improved rather than simply thrown out.

The plan would set up two states under a weak federal government, return some refugees to homes they fled after the Turkish invasion, but require others to relinquish their claims.