UN SECRETARY GENERAL’S REPORT

TALAT : "OBJECTIVE IN GENERAL... NO ISSUES DISTURBING US"

TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat stated that the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s report submitted to the Security Council was objective in general.

Responding to questions of reporters on the report of the Secretary General, President Talat stating that he has not examined the report in detail yet and therefore, could only make a general evaluation, said "there are no issues disturbing us and the report is objective in general".

Stating that some of the UN Secretary General’s observations in the report was in effect supporting the Turkish side’s approaches, Talat draw attention particularly to expressions on the property issue that could only be solved after an agreement and expressions on the importance of cooperation between the sides.

Talat stating that the most distressing part of the report was the observation that "the ground was not ready for a new step to be taken for settlement" said "although this is a distressing observation because of the Greek Cypriot approach it is a reality".

Responding to questions on Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s visit to South and the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s contacts in USA, Talat said although the Russian Foreign Minister paid an official visit to South Cyprus he did not cross over to the north. Talat said they, as a party who requested him to be more objective on the Cyprus issue was not pleased with this stance.

Stating that he has not yet received detailed information about Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s contacts in USA, Talat said briefly that as it was reflected in the press he was having fruitful contacts, USA was strengthening their expectation that she would continue to her stance that isolations should be lifted and would continue her contributions to the Cyprus issue. Talat said "we expect and hope the USA to be sensitive to the Cyprus issue because as a super power, steps taken by the US can not be made a discussion issue and she knows the Cyprus issue well."

President Talat drawing attention to the fact that following the referendum the UN Secretary General’s report envisaging the lifting of isolations was not approved, said "it is both USA’s and Russia’s responsibility to ensure the deliberation of the report".

ERDOGAN: "UN SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD APPROVE THE REPORT"

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is having contacts in the USA met the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York in the UN Head Quarters and discussed mainly the Cyprus issue.

Reminding that the Secretary General’s plan was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots on 24 April, Erdogan requested that Secretary General’s report which also included the lifting of the isolations on the TRNC be approved by the Security Council.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting Secretary General Kofi Annan responding to a question, stated that he would brief the Security Council on the issue. Annan stressing that his good offices mission always exist in Cyprus said " in order to put this into action the necessary ground and the sides must be ready, so that my efforts will have a meaning".