Former Cyprus President dies

Former Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, instrumental in leading Greek Cypriot rejection of a UN reunification blueprint for partitioned Cyprus in 2004, died yesterday, aged 74.

"President Papadopoulos faced his illness with strength and dignity throughout," his doctor, Theodoros Kyprianou told reporters. "The medical team... would like to express their sincere condolences to his wife, siblings and children."

Mr Papadopoulos had been suffering from lung cancer. He was admitted to a state hospital on November 22 where his condition rapidly deteriorated.

Considered a hardliner by some, Mr Papadopoulos was elected in 2003 with centre-left backing. He lost his bid for re-election last February to Demetris Christofias, a former ally.

"The Cypriot people are very sad... we honour the long standing service of a real statesman for Cyprus," Mr Christofias told reporters. He declared three days of official mourning.

A year after his election, in 2004, Mr Papadopoulos led Greek Cypriot rejection of a UN reunification plan for Cyprus.

The east Mediterranean island was divided in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Mr Papadopoulos had argued that the UN plan, which called for a loose reunification along federal lines, was biased in favour of Turkish Cypriots.

Born in Nicosia in 1934, Mr Papadopoulos read law at King's College London before becoming a barrister-at-law through Gray's Inn. He leaves behind his wife Fotini and four children.