Greek Cypriots bury ex-leader who snubbed U.N. plan

Papadopoulos had drawn international criticism for his leading role in the Greek Cypriot "no" vote in the 2004 referendum, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots.

 

Papadopoulos died Friday from lung cancer at the age of 74. He served as leader from 2003 until the election in March this year, when he was defeated in a first round of voting.

  

Current Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias hailed Papadopoulos’ years of public service as a "contribution etched in the people’s collective consciousness".

"He was a politician with depth and was widely respected because our society respects patriots who conscientiously serve it," Christofias was quoted by AP as saying.

Christofias said his predecessor "never wavered" from taking a stand against prevailing public and political opinion if he believed it served the island's best interests, and always defended the creation of the "Cyprus Republic" as an achievement of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots after Britain's colonial rule.

Among foreign dignitaries paying their respects at the Nicosia service were Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni.

 

"Tassos Papadopoulos has been a prominent figure of the Greeks of Cyprus, whom he served with passion and devotion. Our cooperation was excellent," AFP quoted Karamanlis as saying in his message of condolence.

 

Archbishop Chrysostomos II, who officiated at the funeral, hailed Papadopoulos as one of history’s "great national leaders" for his opposition to the U.N. reunification plan.

 

"He saved the Republic of Cyprus from dissolution and us from seeking a new homeland outside Cyprus," said the archbishop who heads the islands Orthodox Church, long a bastion of nationalist sentiment.

 

Monday was declared a public holiday in southern Cyprus with schools and government services closed for the funeral. Three days of mourning were declared on Friday and flags were at half-mast on all public buildings.

 

A chain smoker, Papadopoulos had been in intensive care since he was admitted to hospital with acute respiratory problems on Nov. 22.

  

Papadopoulos reached the apex of his half-century career in the island's often treacherous politics in 2003 when he was elected leader.

 

Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.

Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat in September opened negotiations in a U.N.-brokered bid to reunify the island but the initiative has made little tangible progress.