US Vice President Joe Biden has praised President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci for progress made towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

A readout says “the Vice President spoke by phone today with President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci” and “praised the leaders and their negotiating teams for their hard work and the historic progress they have made towards a settlement that would reunify Cyprus as a bizonal, bicommunal federation”.

“The leaders reaffirmed to the Vice President their commitment to maintaining the momentum of settlement talks and looked forward to making additional progress when talks reconvened in Switzerland on November 20”, the readout notes.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The leaders of the two communities, namely President Anastasiades and Akinci, are currently engaged in UN-led negotiations with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof.