The UN Secretary General’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, who is on a tour to the region on the Cyprus issue, completing his contacts in Ankara and Athens arrived in Cyprus this morning.

Gambari, who replaced Sir Kieran Prendergast, during his first visit to Cyprus, will have discussions with President Mehmet Ali Talat and the Leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration Tassos Papadopulos separately to see whether the necessary ground exist for the resumption of the Cyprus negotiations process. Although there is no Talat-Papdopolous meeting in Gambari’s scheduled program, Gambari is also planning to bring the two leaders together.

According to information received from UNFCYP Mr. Gambari, following the completion of his contacts in Athens, arrived on the island at 11:10 and met the Greek Cypriot Leader Papadopoulos at 12:00.

The meeting between President Talat and Mr. Gambari will take place this afternoon at the Presidential Palace at 15:00.

On 7 July Mr. Gambari will have contacts in South Cyprus and have a second meeting with Papadopoulos.

On 8 July he will come to the TRNC to have his second meeting with President Talat and to meet with the Leader of the main opposition party, National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun.

The UN Secretary General’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari will leave the island on 9 July.

President Mehmet Ali Talat has referred as `very important` to Mr Gambari’s visit that can lead to important developments on the Cyprus issue.

Stating that no progress has yet been achieved on the establishment of bi-communal technical committees because of the obstacles created by the Greek Cypriot Side, he expressed the hope that an opening would be achieved on the issue during Mr. Gambari’s visit.

Reminding that Mr. Gambari’s visit was not aimed to discuss the Technical Committees, Talat said, he was going to see whether conditions were right for the start of negotiations for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Stating that Mr. Gambari will present a report to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and inform the Security Council about his findings at the end of his tour to the region, the President said Mr. Annan will decide whether to continue his good offices mission in Cyprus and the UN Security Council will adopt a position regarding the issue in the light of this report.

President added, from this point of view this was a very important visit, even if the there was not any progress the side which prevented the start of the talks would become clear.

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer said the Greek Cypriot Administration was using law as a tool of politics in a despotic approach and trying to terrorize people.

Speaking to reporters before entering yesterday’s (5 June) meeting of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Soyer said the Greek Cypriot Administration asked the Turkish Cypriot architect Osman Sarper, who was under detention in the Greek Cypriot side for 8 days, to either accept that he committed a crime and to be tried with a claim of 2 years imprisonment and fine or not to accept and to be detain in custody during the trial. Prime Minister said the Greek Cypriot Administration’s arrest of the Turkish Cypriot architect by using the law as a tool for its political purposes was a despotic sate approach.

Soyer said the Greek Cypriot Administration’s approach to the issue has proved the fact that it was acting against the rule of law and the EU principles and made it clear that the political and legal struggle being waged to secure the release of Mr. Sarper will continue. Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer said Turkish Cypriot people will not be provoked and bow to these types of tricks aimed at preventing a settlement

Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer stated that the Greek Cypriot administration by giving the same broadcast frequency to a newly established Greek Cypriot channel and the prevention of Channel “T”s broadcast by this channel through its stronger broadcasting was in fact “lowering the Turkish Cypriots voice”

In a press conference organized yesterday he said this behavior can not be accepted. “We will try to overcome this Greek Cypriot initiative directed towards lowering the voice of the Turkish Cypriots in information sector, by our own dynamics.”

Ersin Tatar the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Channel T, in his written statement titled “Sabotage to channel T” pointed out that the Channel T television has been broadcasting form 49. Frequency since 10 years, but muzzled yesterday with Greek Cypriot Plus TV broadcast, belonging to AKEL.