The leader of the Turkish-Cypriot community, Mustafa Akinci expressed his optimism that a solution to the Cypriot problem could be reached within the next months. Akinci posted a tweet stressing that the this (Cypriot talks) was a negotiating process which had been ongoing from 1968, adding that he did not have a magic wand. “if we continue with the same determination, then I believe a solution to the problem is possible within the next months”, he wrote. He added that the May 16 elections in the Cypriot Republic in the south act as timetable for negotiations. The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 after the invasion of Turkish force, into the south part, which is the legally recognized state member of the UN and the EU, and the northern part, which is only recognized by Turkey.