Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held on Wednesday a telephone conversation with US Vice President Joe Biden which focused on regional developments and in particular on the Cyprus issue.

According to a press release by the Prime Minister`s office, Tsipras stressed Athens` commitment to the Cyprus talks for the achievement of a just and viable solution based on the UN decisions, without guarantees or occupation troops and to the benefit of all the people of Cyprus.

The UN hosted a Conference on Cyprus in Geneva last week, as part of continuing efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. The meeting decided to establish a working group at the level of deputies which meets in Mont-Pelerin on January 18-20, with a view to identify specific questions on security and guarantees and the instruments needed to address them.

Moreover it decided that the Conference will continue at political level immediately thereafter to review the outcome of the working group’s discussions and that in parallel, the negotiations on outstanding issues in the other chapters will continue between the two sides in Cyprus.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015 with a view to reunite the island, divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974, under a federal roof.