The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who arrived on the island on May 14, to contribute to the ongoing direct talks process, yesterday crossed over to TRNC in the afternoon and got together with TRNC President Rauf Denktaş at 15:30.

Kofi Annan was welcomed at the Presidential Palace by TRNC Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, the Presidential Undersecretary, Ergün Olgun, the Undersecretary of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministry, Reşat Çağlar, and President’s Adviser on Constitution, Mümtaz Soysal.

Upon his arrival at the Presidential Palace, the Secretary General and President Denktaş shook hands and posed for a photo.

At the meeting, President Denktaş was only accompanied by Presidential Undersecretary, Ergün Olgun.

After his two hour meeting with Annan, President Denktaş gave a short statement, expressing his pleasure on meeting with Annan. However, Annan declined to make any comments or shed any light as to what areas of the problem had been discussed at yesterday’s meeting.

The Secreatry General started his contacts on the island yesterday with a meeting with the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Glafcos Clerides which lasted for about one and a half hour.

Following his two hour meeting with the Secretary General in TRNC yesterday afternoon, TRNC President Rauf Denktaş in a brief statement to the journalists, expressed his pleasure on seeing Annan in TRNC, and said the talks had been useful.

President Denktaş also hoped that the Secretary General had benefited from their sincere exchange of views.

Pointing out that the Secretary General did not put forward any proposals, President Denktaş said that they had discussed the Cyprus issue in detail.

In response to a question asked if he still believes a June deadline is realistic, President Denktaş said “as you know, I was always optimistic that we would find a settlement by June as long as the Greek Cypriots realise that they are not our government."

The Secretary General Kofi Annan started his contacts on the island with a meeting with the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Glafcos Clerides at 10:30.

At the meeting, Glafcos Clerides was accompanied by his Undersecretary Pandelis Kouros while Annan was accompanied by Alvaro de Soto, the UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus.

Following the meeting which lasted for about one and half an hour, Annan declined to say anything.

Clerides in response to a question asked about the main obstacle at the direct talks, said "at this moment, I do not think that would be wise to speak on this issue".

The UN Secreatry General Kofi Annan last night ended a day of intensive diplomacy by bringing together TRNC President Rauf Denktaş and the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Glafcos Clerides at a working dinner in the UN controlled buffer zone.

Last night’s three hour working dinner was held at the buffer zone residence of UN Secretary General’s Deputy Special Representative to Cyprus, Zbigniew Wlosowicz, near the unused Lefkoşa International Airport in the buffer zone.

No advisors to the two leaders were present at the dinner which was only attended by Denktaş, Clerides, Annan and his special envoy Alvaro de Soto.

No statements were made after the meeting at Wlosowicz’s residence other than mutters of satisfaction for the meal and a comment about "good discussions" from the three main parties.

TRNC President Rauf Denktaş evaluated his yesterday’s meeting with the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to NTV.

Pointing out that the Greek Cypriots act as if it is the legitimate government of whole Cyprus which is the essence of the Cyprus issue, President Denktaş stressed that this is not acceptable.Stressing that he conveyed this to Annan, President Denktaş said Annan also put forward his evaluations and said these evaluations would only be valid if they based on the sovereignty of Turkish Cypriots.

Pointing out that the Turkish Cypriot people was ousted from the partnership republic with force of arms in spite of all granted guarantees and securities, President Denktaş said the Turkish Cypriots only desire a partnership which will ensure their safe existence on their territory.

Stressing that the Turkish Cypriots who established their state will naturally require additional supplements which guarantee their security for establishing a new partnership, President Denktaş said the Turkish Cypriots do not want any agreement without Turkey’s effective guarantee.

Expressing his trust to Annan, President Denktaş said that Kofi Annan is honest and unbiased. Evaluating Annan’s visit to Cyprus as beneficial, President Denktaş expressed that there is no need to draw other conclusions from his visit and added that Annan himself eye-witnessed to the existence of Turkish Cypriots.

Stressing that the possible Cyprus settlement was blocked by the false recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration as the sole legitimate government of whole Cyprus by UN resolutions, President Denktaş said TRNC was established in order to eliminate these obstacles and to show that the Greek Cypriots are not the government of the Turkish Cypriots.

In a written statement yesterday, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry has stressed that the Greek Cypriot side’s intransigence is due to the international community, which accepts it as the sole legitimate government of Cyprus.

The Chamber stated that the Greek Cypriot side regards itself as the owner of the whole island hiding behind the UN Security Council resolution that recognises it as the legitimate government.

The Chamber of Industry also called on the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to assist the process of direct talks by encouraging the two sides in their efforts for a realistic, just and permanent solution based on the two sides’ equality and sovereignty.

The Association of the Cyprus Turkish Retireds, presented a memorandum to President Denktaş to be given to the Secretary General.

The pleasure on the visit of UN Secretary General to the island and his efforts to contribute for finding a settlement , was expressed in the memorandum.

In a written statement issued yesterday, the Near East University called Annan to protect the human rights .

In the statement, the embargoes imposed by Greek Cypriot administration to the Turkish Cypriots was protested.

TRNC National Olympic Committee, in a letter submitted to Kofi Annan, evaluated all kinds of embargoes imposed on the Turkish Cypriots as inhuman and unjust and stated that these are unacceptable.