Athens/Nicosia - Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators met on Friday for the first time in more than four years to launch the groundwork for new Cyprus reunification talks expected to begin by the end of June.

"We have said and heard much about the current climate of optimism in Cyprus and the renewed hope for progress in the peace process, said Elizabeth Spehar, acting head of the United Nations mission in Cyprus, as the talks began.

"This is a momentous occasion and evidence of commitment and determination," she added.

The chief aides to Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat along with a panel of experts held their first meeting in order to pave the way for full fledged negotiations to get off the ground by June.

The panel of 13 working groups from both sides of the ethnic divide will cover preparatory reunification issues ranging from environmental protection, health, security, power-sharing, culture, ways of linking the island's two economies as well as property and territory disputes.

With newly-elected Christofias in office, expectations are running high for a breakthrough in peace efforts to reunite the island which has been divided since 1974 after Turkey invaded the northern third of the island in response to an Athens-led coup to reunite the island with Greece.

UN attempts to reunify the island have repeatedly stalled. The latest in 2004 when the majority the Greek Cypriots voted against the plan in a referendum, although the Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly voted in favour.

Christofias and Talat have met twice since the Greek Cypriot's election in February and reports said they are expected to meet on a social level in early May. (dpa)