The Secretary-General met today in The Hague with H.E. Mr. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey.

The Secretary-General and President Gül had a detailed discussion on the grave situation in Syria and on prospects for the Geneva talks. The Secretary-General expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation and emphasized the need to ensure the delivery of aid.

The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Turkey's strong and continued support for Syrian refugees.

They also discussed the incidents over the weekend at the Turkish-Syrian border. The Secretary-General urged restraint by all to avoid the situation escalating further. 

On Cyprus, the Secretary-General and the President discussed the current state of play and the way forward in the talks for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue. They both agreed that it was critical to maintain the current momentum following the February resumption of full fledged negotiations. The Secretary-General encouraged Turkey to continue to engage actively and constructively on the Cyprus issue and thanked them for their support.