Biden: I have not given up on the Cyprus issue

US President Joe Biden has pledged that he has not given up on the Cyprus issue.

Addressing a digital event organised by the members of the Greek American community on the occasion of the 200^th anniversary of Greece’s independence celebrated on Thursday, President Biden paid tribute to his friend, senator Paul Sarbanes who passed away last year.

President Biden underlined that “Paul was a great friend and a great educator” for him.

“Paul got me involved when we were trying to figure out how to deal with Cyprus a long, long time ago; I still haven’t given up on it,” Biden said referring to the Cyprus problem.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Biden on Thursday night held their first phone call since the latter took office in January.

According to Greek government sources, the phone call lasted half an hour and was held “in very good atmosphere.”

Mitsotakis was expected to raise the issue of Turkish activity in the eastern Mediterranean and of expanding the strategic cooperation between Greece and the United States.

Commenting on the phone call, Biden said "he is going to come to see me. He wants to come. We are trying to work it out when the Covid will allow that to happen.”