Visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht said here on Monday that he was optimistic about finding a solution to the Cyprus issue in Turkey's European Union (EU) accession bid prior to the bloc's summit in December.

Gucht, who arrived Ankara on Monday for a two-day visit, made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul following their talks.

The EU had required Turkey to fulfill its commitments stemming from the additional protocol extending the Customs Union deal to cover the whole EU-member countries, including the Republic of Cyprus during the presidency of Finland.

Noting that the EU members were getting prepared for European Council's summit slated for Dec. 14 and 15, Gucht said that all parties should come together with goodwill to overcome the problem regarding the additional protocol.

He added that all related parties have the obligation to find a solution to the problem, stressing that not only Turkey, but also the Republic of Cyprus administration should exert efforts on the issue.

Gucht also criticized some EU member states for their impatience in getting Ankara ratifying the additional protocol, saying that the important thing was to find a permanent solution, and impatience might affect the process negatively.

For his part, Gul highlighted the importance of the EU presidency Finland's efforts to bring parties together to solve the problem regarding the Customs Union additional protocol as well as to find solution to Cyprus question, saying that Turkey supports Finland's initiatives in a constructive manner.

He also said, "I have spoken to Finnish FM Erkki Tuomioja on the phone a few times about Cyprus issue, and he may pay a visit to the region."

The EU formally launched talks with Turkey over the country's accession in October last year. The negotiations are expected to last at least a decade and Ankara is required to meet a number of criteria spelled out by the EU before entry, including the opening of its air and sea ports to the Republic of Cyprus.

Despite the risk that its talks on joining the EU could be derailed, Turkey refuses to open its air and sea ports to the Republic of Cyprus under a customs union deal with the EU, unless the EU makes good on promises to ease the economic isolation of Cyprus' breakaway north supported by Turkey alone.

The internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, which joined the EU on behalf of the whole island in May 2004, is able to block Turkey's entry talks with its veto.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

Source: Xinhua