Negotiator of the Greek Cypriot community in Cyprus peace talks Andreas Mavroyiannis commenced on Thursday a series of contacts at UN headquarters, in New York, both with UN and Security Council permanent member states’ officials.

Mavroyiannis is expected to wrap up his UN contacts today.

He met, among others, with UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman and other high ranking officials from the Secretariat and the SC’s permanent member states.

According to a UN spokesperson, Feltman and Mavroyiannis discussed the course of Cyprus negotiations and the way forward, after the February 11 joint declaration, reached by the island’s two community leaders.

The spokesperson also said that Feltman continues to engage with key interlocutors and exchange views on the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu reached on February 11 an agreement, which led to the resumption of Cyprus talks, aiming to reunite the country under a federal roof.

According to a reliable source, Mavroyiannis explained the Greek Cypriot position on the situation in Cyprus and the course of negotiations.

The same source said that substantive talks have started, but there is still a long way ahead. Mavroyiannis expanded on President Anastasiades’ proposal concerning the return of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta as a confidence building measure, noting the momentum such a game changer would bring into the process.

Friday evening, Mavroyiannis will pay a courtesy visit to Archbishop Demetrios of America and on Saturday he will address the conference of the Cyprus Federation of America