The negotiations for Cyprus` reunification was the focus of the meeting held on Wednesday between the Presidents of France and Cyprus, Francois Hollande and Nicos Anastasiades, at the Elysee Palace.

A press release issued after the meeting by the French President`s office, says that President Hollande welcomed the spirit at the negotiations and the progress achieved so far.

He stressed the importance and the benefits of an agreement both for the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities, as well as for regional cooperation and Europe as a whole.

Finally, he called on the EU to continue supporting the Cyprus process along with the UN.

The discussion, the press release says, focused on the negotiations for Cyprus` reunification. It is added that President Anastasiades reiterated the commitment he and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci undertook at their meeting on the 25th of September 2016, organized by the UN Secretary General.

It is also pointed out that President Anastasiades expressed his determination to intensify his efforts towards a comprehensive agreement, in line with the parameters agreed at the UN Security Council.

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci, have been engaged in UN-backed talks with the aim to reunite Cyprus under a federal roof. The island has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.