Zaman, Turkey
May 21 2006

Is There a ‘Seldon Plan’ we do not Know About?

MEHMET KAMIS
05.20.2006 Saturday – ISTANBUL 00:31

Today, I would like to tell you about a novelist and his book. Isaac
Asimov who died on April 6, 1992 is known as one of the greatest
science fiction writers of our age.

Asimov, born as the child of a Jewish family in Russia, migrated to
USA when he was three. He grew up in New York and started writing
science fiction stories before he is 20. The Foundation series, among
his several works big and small, are considered among the most
important works in the field of science fiction.

In his Foundation series, Asimov talks about an imaginary and distant
future. Events taking place tens of thousands of years later are told
in these series called a kind of history of the Knights of the Temple
as they come to the agenda at times. Differently from the common
sci-fi works, there are no aliens or strange creatures around. The
human being went to space and gradually spread all over the galaxy. A
big empire is founded and the whole galaxy is under the sovereignty
of this empire. Asimov finds himself a hero at this point. A young
mathematician, Hari Seldon, puts forward an interesting thesis he
will later call `psychohistory.’

This thesis asserts that the future course of human events can be
calculated with a very complex mathematics formula and can be changed
through interventions if necessary. The formula does not work on
human beings one by one but gives perfect results on huge masses of
people. As Seldon applies the data of the era he lives in to the
formula, a very interesting result emerges. Bad times await humanity.
The empire will collapse and an era of barbarism to last for
thousands of years will replace it. Seldon realizes he will not be
able to stop the fall of this empire but the revival of humanity can
be possible in a much shorter time with proper interventions.

Seldon prepares a plan he believes will be for the benefit of
humanity. He deceives the administrators and sends a group of
scientists to a deserted planet at the border of the galaxy in order
to set up the Foundation with an apparent mission of preparing an
encyclopedia. He also convenes another group as the real protectors
of the plan under the title Second Foundation, in an unknown place he
calls Star’s End. The real mission the First Foundation is not aware
of is that of establishing the empire again in the future. As for the
Second Foundation, it is made up of leaders who know about the Plan
and will protect and make it operate after Seldon dies. Though the
First Foundation seems to rise, the Real Masters are the Second
Foundation members behind the scenes.

The Second Foundation we can also call social engineers constantly
controls the First Foundation and makes necessary adjustments for
them to live in accordance with the Seldon Plan. The plan is based on
the principle of leaving a single choice for human beings pressured
by crises inside and outside the country and their following this
single way compulsorily. The Second Foundation is always vigilant in
order for the plan to function. It produces proper crises when
necessary and never lets the First Foundation act on its own. It
continuously reduces the choices and makes sure others remain loyal
to the big plan. Those who have read the series may ask why I do not
mention the Mule or R. Daniel. If I mentioned them, then I would have
done wrong to those who have not read the series, however, I intended
to do so but this column does not have enough space for them, either.

While narrating the Seldon Plan, I said that the basic spirit is
leaving one single choice for humanity pressured by domestic and
foreign crises. Now, I have a look at the very recent history…

Foreign troubles on the one hand…The events taking place in
neighboring Iraq, developments within the framework of Iran, our
European Union membership process, France’s efforts to enact the
so-called Armenian Genocide law…It is possible to extend the list.
Domestic troubles on the other hand…The tension in Semdinli, the
Counter-Terrorism Act and the debates that ensued, pressure imposed
on the sanctities of different groups in the society, tension at
universities, the sudden economic fluctuation in the past week and
the treacherous attack on the Council of State yesterday…It is
possible to extend the links of this chain, too. I wonder if there is
a Second Foundation and are we forced to follow a certain way within
the framework of a pre-determined plan unawarely? No, it cannot be
possible!

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Zaman, Turkey
May 21 2006

Greek Cypriots Choose Their New Deputies
By Foreign News Desk
Published: Saturday, May 20, 2006
zaman.com

Critical parliamentary elections will be held tomorrow in Greek
Cyprus; 495 candidates including a Turk will compete for 56 seats in
the parliament.

Many female candidates are joining this year’s elections, in which
Turks residing in Southern Cyprus can cast votes. One of these is
Nese Yasin, a Turkish Cypriot. Yasin will try her chances to enter
the Greek Cypriot parliament as a candidate of the United Democrats
Movement (EDI). Yasin’s party; however, is not expected to win a
single seat according to polls. Religious groups and independent
candidates have also entered the competition, in which 11 political
parties and blocs are taking part. The deputies to be obtained by
Maronit, Armenian and Latin groups will not have the right to vote in
the parliament, but will mediate and communicate the problems of
religious groups to the parliament. Preliminary results from the
elections will be obtained towards midnight. 500,606 registered
voters including 266 Turks will cast their vote at 216 centers.

Zaman, Turkey
May 21 2006

Ankara: We Hope Bill will not be Brought up Again
By Zaman, Ankara
Published: Saturday, May 20, 2006
zaman.com

Turkish officials in Ankara welcomed with cautious optimism the news
that the French bill designed to criminalize denial of the s0-called
Armenian genocide was `for the time being’ dropped off the agenda.

A statement from the Foreign Ministry focused attention on the need
to not bring up the bill for discussion a second time in the
parliament. It also appealed for approval from the international
community of a proposal from the Turkish government to `form a joint
commission.’

In Friday’s parliamentary discussions, the French government and
French foreign minister had an oppositional stance to the bill, the
statement read, `Now we expect to see that the bill will not be
brought up for discussion a second time in the French National
Parliament, and that a joint commission of Turkish and Armenian
historians will be allowed to make use of all documents -archived or
not – when they are assigned for an exploration of the 1915 events,
and that the international community, including France, will grant
its approval of a proposal from the Turkish government to share the
results with the whole world.’

France was thrown into discussion over the bill that received
opposition from French historians and public leaders, the statement
said.

Today, Azerbaijan
May 20 2006

Azerbaijan made a protest against former OSCE MG Co-Chair’s statement

20 May 2006 [21:03] – Today.Az

Chief of the presidential administration’s international affairs
department, Novruz Mammadov held a press conference related to the
recent statements on Azerbaijan made by former Russian co-chair
(until 1996) of OSCE Minsk Group Vladimir Kazimirov.

Mammadov said that Kazimirov have Armenian relations and he has
financial relations with Armenians stressing that confidence in the
Russian diplomat was lost in 1992-93. Mammadov also noted that at
times Kazimirov made biased statements on Azerbaijan and sometimes he
even forged relevant international documents when he was sponsored by
Armenians.

“He even tells a lie by saying that the principle of nations
determining their fates is same with the principle of territorial
integrity of states according to the UN Convention of 1948.
Kazimirov’s statements are contrary to diplomatic ethic. I think he
has gone mad, he is too old to comprehend what he says,” the
presidential administration’s official said.

Mammadov also noted that Kazimirov’s such statements may hinder the
process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. On the other
hand, stating that these statements are false, the department
director considers as the parties to the conflict do not take into
account these false statements, these factors will not have negative
impact on the settlement process.

“I don’t think these opinions coincide with Russia’s official foreign
policy. We have less belief that the old Kazimirov will have strong
logic,” he said.

Earlier Pan-Armenian Information Agency published Kazimirov’s
statement, according to which the late Azerbaijani President Heydar
Aliyev allegedly realized that it was impossible to liberate Nagorno
Karabakh, but only the surrounding areas. Stating that the Karabakh
problem had negative psychological impact on Azerbaijanis, Kazimirov
stressed that the problem cannot possibly be solved for the benefit
of Azerbaijan.

On Friday Russian Charge d’Affaires Pyotr Burdikin was invited to
Foreign Affairs Ministry and given an oral note with regard to the
above-mentioned statement.

Foreign Ministry press and information center head Tahir Taghizade
has informed APA that Khalaf Khalafov, Deputy Minister, has met with
Mr. Burdikin and made a protest against such a statement issued by
ex-official of Russia. The Russian diplomat, in his turn said he
would convey anxiety of Baku to official Russia.

URL:

Zaman, Turkey
May 20 2006

Armenian Genocide Bill Postponed; French Companies Relieved
By Economy News Desk
Published: Saturday, May 20, 2006
zaman.com

After French lawmakers dropped the bill that would criminalize denial
of the so-called Armenian Genocide, which nearly halted Paris-Ankara
relations, French companies in Turkey are relieved.

Representatives of the companies noted that agreements worth $14
billion escaped great danger, and expressed their pleasure at the
solution of the problem, even if only a temporary one. Les Echos, a
leading economy newspaper in France, wrote that postponement of the
bill provided a short respite, and added: `The French business
environment was taking the economic sanction threats of Turkey,
especially of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, very
seriously. This decision may also affect new investments. Almstom is
among the companies vying for the tender of the Marmaray Project, a
subway project planned to cost 815 million.’ With their recognition
of the so-called Armenian Genocide, France attempted to pass another
bill criminalizing the denial of the genocide. After the harsh
reaction of Turkey, the bill was suspended despite pressure from the
Armenian lobby in France.

Les Echos, underlining the commercial intensity between the two
countries, cites a probable boycott of French products would result
in major damage, and stresses that even just the thought caused alert
among big French companies such as Alstom, Accor or Danone.

The newspaper commented `the Armenian problem poisoned Turkish-French
relationships previously, too’ and made reference to the so-called
Armenian genocide the French Parliament confirmed in 2001. Les Echos,
recalling the angered call for a boycott by Ankara, wrote `The
economic crisis Turkey went through at that time may have reduced the
effect of the boycott, but the effects are real.’ The newspaper wrote
the French company Thales was excluded from the 120-million-euro
tender regarding the maintenance of F16s in 2001, and that French
companies lost the 260 million euro agreement about the manufacturing
and launching of satellites.

Ottawa Citizen
May 20, 2006 Saturday
Final Edition

ESL: Edge-stitching a second language

by Margo Roston, Citizen Special

The women sit around sewing machines or at a table where they are
cutting fabric in the basement of the Caldwell Family Centre. Some
speak English without much hesitation; a couple barely speak English
at all. One or two wear the dress of their homeland; the others are
in western clothing.

What the women have in common is their interest in sewing and the
need to finish the outfits they will wear in an upcoming fashion
show.

They are members of an ESL sewing class run four days a week by the
Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board and its teacher Saada Hussain.
And while their lessons hone their skills with a needle and thread,
their classroom time is really all about learning a new language.

Nigar Islam, who carpools to the class from Kanata with her pal
Sayeeda Mirza, shows off the Pakistani national dress she’ll wear in
the show: a blue embroidered kameez with matching shalwar and a
doppatta — a dress, trousers and a scarf.

“I always did embroidery, but I had a fear of cutting,” admits Islam,
who has lived in Canada for 20 years. “Now I am a grandmother and
I’ve begun sewing for my granddaughter.” She has been making both
traditional and western-style clothing since she joined the sewing
group three years ago.

The centre occupies two townhouses in Bellevue Manor in the
Carlington community off Merivale Road. The complex houses a day
care, a food bank, a drop-in centre, a computer room and the sewing
room, which is filled with donated sewing machines, notions and
fabrics.

There is calm and quiet in here, the conversation all about seams and
button holes and zippers. It’s obvious the women are comfortable
together and having a wonderful time.

“We have to talk in English,” says Araclly Ossa, who immigrated to
Canada from Colombia more than 30 years ago. “The sewing is good for
us. You learn things to do, like making something for the bedroom.”

Suzanne Lamirande lives in the community and acts as a volunteer with
the group. A French speaker, she says her English has improved along
with her sewing skills. She has even produced a book of fashion
designs she’s keen to try out.

She also acts as a translator for Eulalie Nida, a recent arrival from
the Ivory Coast, who speaks only French. Tall and elegant, the mother
of three had never sewn before she joined the class, but has created
a colourful print dress to wear in the show.

Akur Mathaing is a newcomer from Sudan with a wide, cheerful smile.
She arrived a year ago to marry her Sudanese boyfriend, who had
already settled in Ottawa. In her short time with the group, Mathaing
has mastered the basics of both sewing and English.

The class, which when at full strength is 18-strong, pauses to admire
classmate Mirtan Aghazarian, an Armenian from Iran who came to Ottawa
in 2002. She’s modelling a tweed suit that she made and a sweater
with glitter around the neckline.

When she’s not working on a class project, Aghazarian makes little
gifts from scraps of material. “I’m learning a lot here. In the
summer I plan to do a lot of sewing.” She already owns a sewing
machine, a gift from her teacher.

Hussain is the creative pivot of the room, passing on advice in a
professional and quiet manner. She has taught in her native Pakistan,
Australia and Kuwait, and has worked for eight years at the centre,
where she’s determined to teach new skills along with English to new
and older immigrants.

“Many of the women take orders and make wedding dresses, some work in
dry cleaners and do alterations. And some of the women want to be
able to make their own national costumes since it’s expensive to buy
them here, but they can find beautiful fabric here.”

Some of the students have sewn before but need to learn English
sewing terms and new techniques in order to work. While the English
used in the class can be technical — words about stitching, hems and
patterns — there’s a strong sense of community support and
friendship in the room.

For many of the women, it’s also a place to have fun together. And
despite the mix of cultures, languages and dress, it’s where
differences are most likely to be expressed with a bit of fabric, a
needle and some coloured thread.

The Caldwell Family Centre Fashion Show takes place at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, 1520 Caldwell Ave.

Margo Roston is an Ottawa writer.

Agence France Presse — English
May 21, 2006 Sunday 1:11 AM GMT

Eurovision Song Contest final results

ATHENS, May 21 2006

Here are the full results from Saturday’s 51th annual Eurovision Song
Contest held in the Greek capital Athens. The scores were tallied on
a points system based on telephone and text voting in 35 countries,
with voters unable to vote for their home entrant.

The competition was won by Finnish heavy rockers Lordi

1 Finland – Lordi, group – 292 points

2 Russia – Dima Bilan, singer – 248

3 Bosnia-Hercegovina – Hari Mata Hari, singer – 229

4 Romania – Mihai Traistariu, singer – 172

5 Sweden – Carola, singer – 170

6 Lithuania – LT United, group – 162

7 Ukraine – Tina Karol, singer – 145

8 Armenia – Andre, singer – 129

9 Greece – Ana Vissi, singer – 128

10 Ireland – Brian Kennedy, singer – 93

11 Turkey – Sibel Tuzun, singer – 91

12 FYR of Macedonia – Elena Raniesteka, singer – 56

13 Croatia – Severina, singer – 56

14 Norway – Christine Guldbrandsen, singer – 36

15 Germany – Texas Lightning, group – 36

16 Latvia – Cosmos, group – 30

17 Switzerland – Six4one, group – 30

18 Denmark – Sidsel Ben Semmane, singer – 26

19 UK – Daz Sampson, singer – 25

20 Moldova – Arsenium, group – 22

21 Spain – Las Ketchup, group – 18

22 France – Virginie Pouchain, singer – 5

23 Israel – Eddie Butler, singer – 4

24 Malta – Fabrizio Fanielleo, singer – 1

The Sun (England)
May 20, 2006 Saturday

SUN GUIDE TO TONIGHT’S SONG CHEESEFEST; EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
ATHENS 2006

Wogan’s heroes

Nick Francis

THE most spectacular event of 2006 is upon us.

No, it’s not the World Cup or the Oscars. Tonight is Eurovision Song
Contest time.

It’s that magical moment in the year when nations from across the
Continent surrender the cream of their musical crop -and usually
their dignity -to do battle in front of millions of viewers…and
Terry Wogan.

It is a fantastic celebration of the naffest, cheesiest and most
downright atrocious music to ever be produced.

And we love it.

Tonight’s extravaganza stays true to form with a wonderful array of
flop pop set to blast out of our tellies and radios and then be
instantly forgotten.

The UK has not won since 1997, with Katrina & The Waves, and this
year our hopes are pinned on Daz Sampson’s Teenage Life.

Luckily we’re used to losing.

In preparation for the big event, we have had a listen to the 2006
line-up to give you a quick guide to the good (ahem), the bad and the
downright awful.

ARMENIA: Andre -Without Your Love: The bouncy and punchy beat is
typical Europop rubbish and does not make much of an impression. The
lyrics, however, leave a big impression -but of the wrong kind: “Fly
with me, take my wings and dream away.”

How we wish we could.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Hari Mata Hari -Lejla: Any song that uses pan
pipes deserves to score low, yet somehow this offering has a certain
bizarre charm. It would make quite a nice love ballad, if you were
hearing-impaired.

CROATIA: Severina -Moja Stikla: This makes the Crazy Frog sound
musically gifted.

With a beat and melody lifted straight from a nursery rhyme, the
entry will surely bring a smile to the face of even the most dead-pan
Eurovision critic.

DENMARK: Sidsel Ben Semmane -Twist Of Love: It is a long time since
anyone has sung while doing The Twist, but perhaps Sidsel is a big
Beatles’ fan. A shame, then, that her music sounds nothing like the
Fab Four.

FINLAND: Lordi -Hard Rock Hallelujah: Ridiculous camped-up
gravel-voiced singers thrashing guitar riffs with make-up straight
out of a Lord Of The Rings movie.

What’s not to like? This novelty act is so bad it could win.

FRANCE:Virginie Pouchin -Il Etait Temps: Sad, forlorn, painful. And
that’s just the singing. This isn’t particularly awful music, but
it’s a touch sombre to be a winner.

F.Y.R MACEDONIA: Elena Risteska -Ninanajna: This tune would be more
at home playing in the background of a kebab shop. Sample lyric:
“Tell me what you want.”

Extra chilli sauce please.

GERMANY: Texas Lightning -No No Never: It pains us to praise
Britain’s traditional rivals, but this Country & Western effort is
far from terrible.

Granted, the singer sounds like Dolly Parton on an off-day, but it
deserves points for being an alternative to the mass of cheesy pop.

GREECE:Anna Vissi -Everything: Once again, true to form, Greece has
turned out an entry that sounds like the cabaret act at a Butlins
holiday camp. Close your eyes and you can smell the scampi in a
basket.

IRELAND: Brian Kennedy -Every Song Is A Cry For Love: There’s
probably not much point in giving this tat any kind of review, seeing
as Ireland seem to win every year -or at least they did in the
Nineties. Admittedly, Eurovision is supposed to be naff, but this
“ballad” takes it to new extremes. Cry for love? Cry for help, more
like.

ISRAEL: Eddie Butler -Together We Are One: This entry is crooned half
in English and half in Israeli. Presumably they couldn’t afford a
translator for the full three minutes. Naff is not the word.

LATVIA: Cosmos -I Hear Your Heart: A slow starter, with almost no
music for the first minute. And once it kicks in you will wish they
had kept it that way. A brave effort to harmonise, however, so good
luck to it.

LITHUANIA: LT United -We Are The Winners: If you do nothing else with
your life, listen to this song. It is so abysmal that it’s brilliant.
The lyrics, safe to say, are the funniest thing we have heard in a
long time, and they sound like they are sung by TV’s Avid Merrion:
“We are the winners of Eurovision, vote for us now.” Do it, do it, do
it!

MALTA: Fabrizio Faniello -I Do: We’re guessing Westlife are big in
Malta because this is exactly what the Irish band would sound like
with a backing track provided by a mouth organ. Tries to be an epic
love song but more a monumental mess.

MOLDOVA: Arsenium feat. Natalia Gordienko -Loca: “Every night I need
my Loca, give me your Boca, I’ll give you my choca.” This song is a
joke-a.

NORWAY: Christine Guldbrandsen -Alvedansen: A slow, mushy entry. We
think Norway have missed the point of Eurovision here. The aim is
surely to be as annoying and cheesy as possible, yet this sounds like
elevator music. You could easily drift off to this…

ROMANIA: Mihai Traistariu -Tornero: Tries to be a serious and even
spooky track but it fails to scare or impress. With an ultra-cheap
Europop beat it’s so bad it’s just bad. Nil points, not even for
naffness.

RUSSIA: Dima Bilan -Never Let You Go: Is it us or is the backing
track provided by a flock of gulls? If so, full marks for
originality. Only the Russians could train birds to belt out a
number.

SPAIN: Las Ketchup -Bloody Mary: If it’s possible, this track is even
worse than Las Ketchup’s chart effort back in 2002. At least that had
a beat that got every ten-year-old girl in the country bopping along.
This is devoid of any funky beat, cheesy chorus or catchy lyrics,
which are all vital ingredients of a Eurovision winner.

SWEDEN: Carola -Invincible: If their football is anything like their
music, Sweden pose no threat to us in the World Cup this summer. The
singer sounds like Celine Dion trying to sing Abba’s The Winner Takes
It All. In fact, does anyone know what happened to Celine Dion?

SWITZERLAND: Six4one -If We All Give A Little: A contender for the
worst, most tacky track in the entire line-up, and that’s saying
something. This “song with a message” won’t have Bono quaking in his
boots just yet. “If we all give a little” croons the male/female
duet. Give a little what exactly -time to singing lessons?

TURKEY: Sibel Tuzun -Super Star: A brilliant fun track. It sounds
like the theme tune from a Seventies cop show. You can just picture a
Turkish version of Shaft busting bad guys along to these lively riffs
and funky beat.

UKRAINE:Tina Karol -Show Me Your Love: This starts promisingly but,
like so many others, descends into complete pap. Typical Europop beat
makes this nothing special.

UNITED KINGDOM: Daz Sampson -Teenage Life: UK’s answer to Vanilla
Ice. We’d love to say that Britain have turned out a strong contender
this year. But we haven’t.

Even if the track didn’t sound like the Smurfs were making a
comeback, the very fact that Daz Sampson is clearly in his 40s yet
surrounds himself with schoolkids will preclude this from big points.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2006 is on BBC1 and Radio 2 tonight from
8pm.

LATEST BETTING

3/1………….Sweden

7/2………….G reece

11/2………..Bosnia

6/1………….Russ ia

6/1………….Romania

7/1………….Unite d Kingdom

10/1………..Finland

12/1………..Ge rmany

20/1………..Norway

33/1………..Maced onia

33/1………..Croatia

25/1………..Irela nd

Agence France Presse — English
May 19, 2006 Friday 3:10 AM GMT

Cyprus division looms over parliament vote

NICOSIA, May 19 2006

The decades-long division of Cyprus weighs heavy on voters’ minds
ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary election, but residents on both sides
of the island envision very different solutions to the partition.

“I want a good solution: Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots all
living together in one country,” said Andreas Michael, a retired
Greek Cypriot.

The best way to do that, he said, is to vote for the DIKO party of
President Tassos Papadopoulos, who has made Greek Cypriots’ rejection
of a UN-backed reunification plan in 2004 a point of pride in this
year’s campaign.

DIKO is enjoying a surge of popularity as the government-controlled
south goes to the polls for the first time since becoming an EU
member following an overwhelming “no” vote by Greek Cypriots to the
so-called Annan plan.

Supporting the “no” to reunification and yet wanting a solution to
the Mediterranean island’s divide is not a contradiction to Andry, a
40-year-old Greek Cypriot lawyer.

“I was against the Annan plan and for one Cyprus, to live all
together Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, but not under Turkish
occupation,” said Andry, citing the Cyprus divide as her key concern
at the ballot box.

To her, the UN blueprint was too vague on removal of the Turkish
military, which maintains around 30,000 troops patrolling the
northern third of the island where she grew up.

She also said she believes the rise in support for Papadopoulos’s
party will send a message to Europe that Cypriots want a better, more
equitable reunification plan.

But on the other side of the barbed wire-laced dividing line in the
breakaway republic recognized only by Ankara, the parliamentary
campaigning and especially the widespread rallying around
Papadopoulos sparks dismay among Turkish Cypriots.

“There is so much popular support for the president,” said Ahmet
Sozen, a Turkish Cypriot who heads the Cyprus Policy Center
think-tank at the Eastern Mediterranean University. “It’s scary.”

Sozen said most Turkish Cypriots “would prefer a party that is closer
to the Annan plan.”

Turkish Cypriots living in the north in territory viewed by the Greek
Cypriot authorities as land under illegal Turkish occupation are
unable to vote in the election on May 21.

Some changes have been made in this year’s election, signalling small
steps toward rapprochement.

The minority of Turkish Cypriots who live in the south have been
awarded the right to run and vote for the first time since 1963.

Around 270 Turkish Cypriots have registered to vote and one Turkish
Cypriot candidate, poet Neshe Yashin, is running on a small
pro-reunification party list.

But according to Greek Cypriot sociologist Nicos Peristianis from
Cyprus’s Intercollege, “realistically speaking, (Yashin’s candidacy)
it is not very significant” and will not change “how politics are
carried out on this side.”

“The way people vote has to do with long term blocs of alignment that
people identify with and they very seldom walk away from these
identities,” he said.

Indeed, the major players have hardly changed, with polls indicating
only a slightly more rejectionist tilt to this year’s poll, the first
since 2001.

While Papadopoulos’s party is expected to gain three seats to give it
12, the left-wing AKEL party which opposed the Annan plan is still
the leader with 20 projected seats in the 56-member parliament.

The right-wing DISY which controversially supported the UN blueprint
is close behind with its projected 19 seats or 28 percent support,
down from its 34 percent tally in the last election, according to
state television polls.

“Turkish Cypriots are interested in the Greek Cypriot election,
unfortunately according to our survey… they believe all parties are
basically the same and they are not happy about that,” said Turkish
Cypriot Muharrem Faiz, director of the Cyprus Social and Economic
Research Center.

Faiz said Turkish Cypriots have indicated in polls conducted by his
center that they are ready for certain steps, such as changing street
signs to read in Greek as well as Turkish, sharing common investments
and having Greek Cypriot neighbors.

Now, they would like to see some “concrete projects from the Greek
Cypriot side,” he said.

But no new plan is on the negotiating table, and proposed new talks
between leaders of the two sides have hit snag after snag without
getting off the ground.

Meanwhile, some say those living in the so-called Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus — established about a decade after Turkish troops
invaded in 1974 in response to an Athens-engineered coup aimed at
uniting the island with Greece — are falling further and further
behind.

In particular, it is the distant prospect of EU membership that
conjures pangs of regret for Gulbenk Terziyan, who owns a picture
frame shop wedged along one of the capital’s dusty side streets that
gets little walk-by traffic.

“We are left out. We are unhappy because of that,” said Terziyan, an
Armenian Turk who is married to a Turkish Cypriot and who, like most
in the north, voted “yes” to the Annan plan.

“I am 55 years old and I have seen too many elections,” he said. “We
believe nothing will change.”

Agence France Presse — English
May 21, 2006 Sunday 2:08 PM GMT

Search continues for crashed Armenian plane’s flight recorders

Russian officials continued searching Sunday for the black box flight
recorders of an Armenian plane that crashed off Russia’s Black Sea
coast more than two weeks ago, but warned that they might be stuck in
the mud under the sea bed.

A submersible vessel was being used to search for the flight
recorders of the Airbus A320 that crashed on May 3, but “it is not
ruled out that they have sunk into the silt,” the ITAR-TASS news
agency quoted an official at the search headquarters as saying.

“If examination of the surface of the sea bed doesn’t yield results,
the underwater work will be reoriented to searching in the boggy
silt, which will significantly hamper the work,” the official said.

All 113 people aboard the plane died when it crashed on its approach
to the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Eighty-five of the victims were
Armenians, many of them on family visits.

The flight recorders are thought to lie at a depth of 500 metres
(1,600 feet) below the surface of the water.

Specialists from France have been called in to help with the search.

As of May 10, 51 bodies had been recovered.