Papadopoulos dies at 74
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 13, 2008 00:00
NICOSIA - Greek Cyprus' former president who brought a deadlock to the hopes of reunification after rallying Greek Cypriots to reject a UN peace deal, dies of lung cancer. The 74-year-old Papadopoulos, a longtime chain smoker, was hospitalized last month with severe breathing problems
Former Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, instrumental in leading the Greek Cypriot rejection of a UN reunification blueprint for partitioned Cyprus in 2004, died Friday aged 74.
Papadopoulos had been suffering from lung cancer. He was admitted to a state hospital Nov. 22, where his condition rapidly deteriorated.
Considered a hardliner by some, Papadopoulos was elected in 2003 with center-left backing. He lost his bid for re-election in February 2008 to Demetris Christofias, a former ally.
A year after his election, in 2004, he led the Greek Cypriot rejection of a United Nations reunification plan for Cyprus. Papadopoulos had argued that the UN plan, which called for a loose reunification along federal lines, was biased in favor of Turkish Cypriots. He used his rejection as a clarion call, saying during the election campaign that his "no" vote meant he was the man to trust, as rivals would "sell out" the Cyprus republic.
Instead, the high-profile London-trained lawyer became a bystander as communist party chief Demetris Christofias beat former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides in a run-off.
Seen as a champion of Hellenism by some and a Turk-basher by others, in 2004 he made a tearful appeal on television for Greek Cypriots to turn down the UN reunification plan.
They voted by a 76 percent majority to reject the plan, prompting criticism from western countries after Turkish Cypriots voted heavily in favor.
Youngest minister
As a young man, Papadopoulos was a key member of the political wing of the EOKA guerrilla group which fought to end British colonial rule when the dream of union with Greece was thwarted.
He voted against the Zurich-London agreement which paved the way for independence in 1960 but nevertheless served as one of four representatives of the Greek Cypriot side who drafted the island's post-independence constitution.
In his mid-20s he became the government's youngest minister, under the wing of his mentor Archbishop Makarios who was president from independence until his death in 1977.
Papadopoulos held cabinet posts for 12 years as minister of interior, finance, labor, health and agriculture, and also served as the interlocutor in bi-communal talks with the Turkish Cypriots in 1976.
He rose to the top in the 2003 presidential elections, when he narrowly ousted veteran statesman Glafcos Clerides.
His candidacy was dogged by newspaper reports of his law firm's links with Yugoslav sanctions-busting under Slobodan Milosovic's regime and allegations that he was a "problem" for ties with Washington.
Once president, Papadopoulos gave the green light for overflights and support facilities on the ground during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Just a week after the referendum, Papadopoulos took a divided Cyprus into the European Union on May 1, 2004, following up that achievement in January this year by shepherding Cyprus into the euro zone.
He avoided using a veto against Turkey's EU membership bid and said Cyprus would support Turkey if Ankara recognized and normalized ties with his government.
Misjudgment
However in 2008 he misread the mood of the electorate, who wanted to see movement on a Cyprus solution after five years of stalemate which had brought mounting international criticism on the Greek Cypriot community.
He refused to back Christofias as a unity candidate of the ruling alliance, forcing the communist leader to go it alone. His eventual victory was nevertheless an upset as early opinion polls had put Papadopoulos ahead.
Papadopoulos had been suffering from lung cancer. He was admitted to a state hospital Nov. 22, where his condition rapidly deteriorated.
Considered a hardliner by some, Papadopoulos was elected in 2003 with center-left backing. He lost his bid for re-election in February 2008 to Demetris Christofias, a former ally.
A year after his election, in 2004, he led the Greek Cypriot rejection of a United Nations reunification plan for Cyprus. Papadopoulos had argued that the UN plan, which called for a loose reunification along federal lines, was biased in favor of Turkish Cypriots. He used his rejection as a clarion call, saying during the election campaign that his "no" vote meant he was the man to trust, as rivals would "sell out" the Cyprus republic.
Instead, the high-profile London-trained lawyer became a bystander as communist party chief Demetris Christofias beat former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides in a run-off.
Seen as a champion of Hellenism by some and a Turk-basher by others, in 2004 he made a tearful appeal on television for Greek Cypriots to turn down the UN reunification plan.
They voted by a 76 percent majority to reject the plan, prompting criticism from western countries after Turkish Cypriots voted heavily in favor.
Youngest minister
As a young man, Papadopoulos was a key member of the political wing of the EOKA guerrilla group which fought to end British colonial rule when the dream of union with Greece was thwarted.
He voted against the Zurich-London agreement which paved the way for independence in 1960 but nevertheless served as one of four representatives of the Greek Cypriot side who drafted the island's post-independence constitution.
In his mid-20s he became the government's youngest minister, under the wing of his mentor Archbishop Makarios who was president from independence until his death in 1977.
Papadopoulos held cabinet posts for 12 years as minister of interior, finance, labor, health and agriculture, and also served as the interlocutor in bi-communal talks with the Turkish Cypriots in 1976.
He rose to the top in the 2003 presidential elections, when he narrowly ousted veteran statesman Glafcos Clerides.
His candidacy was dogged by newspaper reports of his law firm's links with Yugoslav sanctions-busting under Slobodan Milosovic's regime and allegations that he was a "problem" for ties with Washington.
Once president, Papadopoulos gave the green light for overflights and support facilities on the ground during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Just a week after the referendum, Papadopoulos took a divided Cyprus into the European Union on May 1, 2004, following up that achievement in January this year by shepherding Cyprus into the euro zone.
He avoided using a veto against Turkey's EU membership bid and said Cyprus would support Turkey if Ankara recognized and normalized ties with his government.
Misjudgment
However in 2008 he misread the mood of the electorate, who wanted to see movement on a Cyprus solution after five years of stalemate which had brought mounting international criticism on the Greek Cypriot community.
He refused to back Christofias as a unity candidate of the ruling alliance, forcing the communist leader to go it alone. His eventual victory was nevertheless an upset as early opinion polls had put Papadopoulos ahead.