BRUSSELS
Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci believes the ongoing negotiations over the divided island of Cyprus may be concluded successfully "within months".
Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday, Akinci said: "We have the will, the determination and the momentum."
"I have the feeling that with this pace and with this determination… it will be a matter of months rather than years to solve the problem," Akinci said.
The talks stalled in October last year in a row over mineral exploration off the island, but Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades resumed negotiations in May, shortly after Akinci’s election.
Akinci said that the "positive climate" in the talks had led to more investment attractions on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
"Consider how [many] investors we can attract once we solve the problem, this is one of the good incentives [to] why we should [have] solved the problem 11 years ago," he added.
Akinci met with European Parliament President Martin Schulz on Wednesday during which he called for Europe’s support in reuniting the divided island.
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