Q: Can you comment on the meeting this morning with the Turkish Prime Minister?

SG: Yes, I had a very good and constructive discussion with Prime Minster Erdogan about the possibility of resuming talks between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. He indicated to me that Turkey would want to see the talks resumed. They would want to see it sustained and would want us to try and do everything possible to conclude the process by the beginning of May.

I indicated to him that I was very encouraged by the message he had brought me and that I will study very carefully what he has put before me. Obviously, if we are going to have talks, all parties concerned –the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, the motherlands, Turkey and Greece –must be committed to the talks and everyone must show a willingness to sustain the effort and to seek a settlement. And I have indicated that my good offices are still open if the

parties were to declare the will and to demonstrate the will to want to settle. Because I think a settlement would not only be in the interests of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, it would also be in the interests of Turkey and Greece and improve considerably Turkish relations with the European Union.

Q: And what about the mediator, the high level mediator?

SG: I've always had a very good facilitator working with me. We have been assisted in the past by representatives of several governments, notably the United Kingdom and the United States. And, of course, if we were to resume the efforts, I would want to continue with a good facilitator and accept support from all countries that are interested in the process.

Q: Do you think there is a commitment then on the Turkish side for you to resume talks? Do you think what you have heard today from the Turkish side is enough to convince you that the Turkish side has this will?

SG: As I said, I've been very encouraged by what I heard and the Prime Minister assured me that there is a will on the Turkish part to move forward. Obviously, there are other parties and we need to hear from them as well.

Q: Could you give us a short reaction about Mr. [David] Kay's resignation today?...Mr. Kay is the chief of the weapons inspectors…?

SG: Mr. Kay, who led the search for weapons at the end of the war has indicated that he has resigned. I was not surprised because he had more or less given a report. He gave his report to the U.S. authorities and had not been back to Iraq for a while. And so I saw this as natural in the order of events. He's an experienced inspector; he had worked with the UN before and had also taken on this thing. And I think his report and what he says should be taken seriously.