TRNC President Rauf Denktaþ in a press statement on May 3, has sharply condemned the UN Security Council’s statement claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side should cooperate more with Alvaro de Soto.

President Denktaþ said that it will be impossible to accept such a call if the Greek Cypriots’ demands are wanted to be accepted by the Turkish Cypriot side.

In his statement, President Denktaþ stressed that nobody should expect the Turkish Cypriot side to contribute to the Greek Cypriots’ policy aimed at controlling the whole of the island by hiding behind their false title and the UN resolutions.

Referring to Alvaro de Soto’s statement dated the 4^th of December, in which he explained the parameters of the face to face talks, President Denktaþ complained that in accordance with the Greek Cypriot demands, some circles are trying to drag the Cyprus problem into the framework of the UN resolutions which have prevented for many years the achievement of a solution to the long standing problem.

Pointing out that "the Security Council urged us to adopt a more cooperative policy", President Denktaþ stressed that perhaps, de Soto did not brief properly the Security Council on the comprehensive document submitted to him by the Turkish Cypriot side. If the real aim of such an insistence is to impose the Greek Cypriots’ demands on the Turkish Cypriot people, everyone should know that this will be impossible.

Recalling that direct talks between the two leaders were started with the initiatives of himself, President Denktaþ said that these initiatives were launched on the basis of the equality of the two sides. President Denktaþ underlined the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side would never let to be considered as a minority on the island under the administration of the now defunct Cyprus Republic.

Stressing that during the ongoing direct talks the real role of Alvaro de Soto is to brief the UN Security Council and UN Secretary General on the latest developments of the direct talks but nothing more, President Denktaþ called on the UN Security Council to help Alvaro de Soto in making a more realistic diagnosis on the Cyprus issue.

President Denktaþ added that a correct diagnosis could not be made in Cyprus by the Security Council and this is why the Cyprus problem has remained unsolved until now.

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side will continue to make efforts aimed at finding a permanent and balanced solution to the Cyprus problem, President Denktaþ said if a unity is wanted, this should be achieved with a new partnership Republic made up of two separate and sovereign states.

According to UN sources, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, will travel to Cyprus soon to give a boost to the ongoing direct talks aimed at reaching a settlement by June.

It was said that Kofi Annan’s visit would take place in the middle of this month, and he would urge both sides to cooperate fully with UN envoy, Alvaro de Soto.

TRNC President Rauf Denktaþ, in his statement to a Turkish Cypriot daily “Kýbrýs”, evaluated Kofi Annan’s arrival to Cyprus as “a positive development”.

President Denktaþ said “Annan’s visit is a good news. De Soto by calling me, told me that he is coming and would like to meet with me and that he will arrange a special meeting between me and Clerides. I said it will be good. I was pleased. Since a long time, I wanted to see Kofi Annan in Cyprus to have the first hand information. I hope that we will have enough time to show him the places that we want."

Stressing that "there exists a functional state here, and the people protect and support their state", President Denktaþ said therefore Annan’s visit will be beneficial because he will see that there is a functional state and government and the people struggling for their state. President Denktaþ also said that the reason of the economic problems are the unjust embargoes imposed upon the Turkish Cypriots.

The Co-chairman of the Turkey –Britain Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group , British MP, Tony Baldry, has said that there is not a direct link between Turkey’s EU membership process and the Cyprus problem.

Baldry responding to the questions of journalists in Ýstanbul, expressed the hope that , the membership negotiations between Turkey and European Union would begin in the very near future.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Tony Baldry stressed that his government attached great importance to the issue and wished that the two sides could be able to achieve a just and viable settlement through negotiations by the end of this year.

Asked whether the European Union is merely a Christian Club, Baldry stressed that the European Community should not be considered like that. Baldry also said that Turkey could play an important and specific role in the future to remove such a wrong idea .

Greek Cypriots who are living in the Karpaz Peninsula held religious services at the churches in the villages of Sipahi and Dipkarpaz yesterday to mark the Orthodox Easter Day.

About 55 Greek Cypriots who crossed into the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from South Cyprus have also participated the services.

Following the European Union’s decision to include the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the list of banned terrorist groups; the Greek Cypriot Administration is in a very critical and uncomfortable position. It has been known for some time that the Greek Cypriot Administration has been aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK organisation mostly by raising funds and providing safe heavens within its territory.

Following the European Union decision, which formally includes the PKK as a terrorist organisation, the Greek Cypriot has entered a state of panic and anxiety. The Greek Cypriot Administration ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The Parties signatory to the convention stipulates that they shall take all necessary measures for the "prevention of the financing of terrorism, as well as its suppression through the prosecution and punishment of its perpetrators".

To make those offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account the grave nature of the offences"

In other words the Greek Cypriot Administration is now under a legal obligation to prosecute and punish those perpetrators for the acts and offences they have committed with the support and aid of the Greek Cypriot administration itself. On the other hand another reason for the Greek Cypriot Administration anxiety is the awaiting of the International reaction and sanctions to occur due to their support for such a terrorist organisation.