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Cyprus names main airport after ex-president Clerides

Xinhua, November 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Cyprus named its main international airport on Thursday after ex-president Glafkos Clerides in recognition of his contribution to the country.

An official statement said the airport next to the southeastern city of Larnaca will henceforth be known as Glafkos Clerides Larnaca International Airport.

The announcement was made to mark the passing away of Clerides two years ago.

Clerides left his mark on the recent history of Cyprus. Born in April 1914, he led the Greek Cypriot side on the team which prepared the constitution after Cyprus became independent in 1960.

He was speaker of the House of Representatives for almost three decades and served as president of the country between 1993 and 2003.

The statement said other factors taken into consideration for the decision were Clerides's fight against the Nazis as an RAF pilot in World War Two, his contribution to the struggles of Greek Cypriots for independence and his long standing contribution to the Republic of Cyprus, its epitome being the success of Cyprus's accession to the European Union. Endit