Lynn Pascoe, the UN's undersecretary-general for political affairs, and Fazlı Çorman, Turkey's deputy permanent representative to the UN, also attended the meeting between Ban and Apakan which was closed to the press, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Apakan, former undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, was appointed to his current post in July and was replaced by Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Permanent representation to the UN headquarters was previously undertaken by Ambassador Baki İlkin, who had passed the mandatory age of retirement. The new permanent representative, Apakan, previously served as Turkey's ambassador to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) and had held the post of undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry since December 2006.
Apakan, meanwhile, earlier on Thursday, participated in a session of the UN Security Council, which unanimously approved a resolution extending the mandate of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon until Aug. 31, 2010.
Around a year ago, in October 2008, following five years of intense lobbying, Turkey was elected to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term which started on Jan. 1.
