biography
| name: |
Vassiliou, Georgios Vassos
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pronunciation:
[vasileeoo]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1931– )
|
| biography:
| Cypriot politician and president (1988–93), born in Famagusta, E Cyprus. He studied at Geneva, Vienna, and Budapest universities, then took up marketing in England. He opened the Middle East Research Centre in Cyprus (1962), which grew into the largest of its kind in the Middle East, and made him a millionaire. Despite a lively interest in politics, he did not align himself with any of the established parties. In 1988, believing that a fresh approach to the divisions in Cyprus was needed, he stood as an independent candidate for the presidency and, with Communist Party support, was elected. As president, he worked consistently but without success towards the reunification of the island. He was narrowly defeated (by 0·6%) in the 1993 elections. Standing again in 1998, he gained only a few votes. |
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