US Vice President Jo Biden and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades had a telephone conversation on Monday to discuss issues of regional concern, a White House official has said.

According to the White House official, Biden, who is in Chile, contacted by phone President Anastasiades yesterday and discussed with him inter alia the situation in the Ukraine, the Cyprus issue and other matters.

“The two leaders expressed firm support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and consulted on steps to lead to a de-escalation of the situation and peaceful resolution”, the official White House readout says.

Biden “welcomed the conclusions of the European Council on March 6, which sent a strong signal that Russia’s military actions in Crimea are unacceptable”.

«Ηe also applauded the resumption of U.N.-led talks to achieve a just and lasting Cyprus settlement and re-affirmed the United States’ full support for the Cypriot-led process, under the auspices of the United Nations Good Offices Mission,” it adds.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Previous UN-led efforts to reunify the island have failed.

Talks resumed after the leaders of the island’s two communities, namely President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, agreed on a seven-point Joint Declaration outlining their vision of a reunified Cyprus.