Kyprianou, Spyros

Kyprianou, Spyros kēprēäno͞o [key], 1932–2002, Greek Cypriot political leader and president of Cyprus (1977–1988). He served (1960–72) as foreign minister, and opposed efforts by Athens to unify the island with Greece, which sparked a Turkish invasion (1974). In 1976 he was a founder of the Cypriot Democratic party. He succeeded Archbishop Makarios III as president on the latter's death. He was reelected in 1983, but lost office in 1988 elections. He proved unable to negotiate an end to Cyprus's partition into Greek and Turkish sectors. Kyprianou again served in parliament after losing the presidency.

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