21.   Yilmaz insists that he initially head the government to soften criticism that he is paving the way for an anti-Western figure to hold the premiership.

22.   He is anxious to get back to racing to soften the criticism of the team tactics.

23.   At the same time, the United States appears to have softened criticism of human rights abuses by the authoritarian Central Asian regimes, a view confirmed on Tuesday.