16 Facts About Georgios Iacovou

Georgios Kyriakou Iacovou was born on 19 July 1938 and is a Cypriot diplomat and politician.

Georgios Iacovou is known for his work on the rehabilitation of Greek Cypriot refugees and on persons of Greek origin living in the former Soviet Union.

Georgios Iacovou was born in the village of Peristeronopigi, in Famagusta District.

From 1955 to 1960, Georgios Iacovou was a student in the United Kingdom and was active in student politics and Greek Cypriot community affairs.

From 1960 until 1964, Georgios Iacovou worked in the private sector in Cyprus.

Georgios Iacovou worked as a Senior Consultant at the international enterprise Price Waterhouse in London, as Principal Officer for Operational Research and later on as Senior Finance Officer of the board of directors for British Rail.

Georgios Iacovou turned his attention to the upgrading of skills of artisans and technicians in many fields.

Concurrently, Georgios Iacovou was Chairman of the board of directors of the Hotel and Catering Institute of Cyprus, and under his stewardship, the HCI became internationally known, being acknowledged accordingly on the island.

Georgios Iacovou later established the "Service for the Reintegration of Displaced Persons".

Georgios Iacovou became one of the most articulate advocates of the rights of displaced persons in Cyprus, who form a core issue of the wider Cyprus problem.

Georgios Iacovou is considered one of the ablest administrators of Cyprus and is often referred to as the technocrat with the big heart.

In 2003, Georgios Iacovou signed the Treaty of Accession of Cyprus to the European Union.

Georgios Iacovou masterminded operation Golden Fleece, the liberation of fifteen hundred men, women and children of Greek origin from the besieged city of Sukhumi in Abkhazia; he later participated in a similar operation in the city of Groznyy, Chechnya.

Georgios Iacovou founded several university departments for the teaching of the Greek language in countries of the former Soviet Union.

Georgios Iacovou lost, by a narrow margin, to the incumbent President of the Republic, Glafcos Clerides.

Georgios Iacovou has been awarded several honours, distinctions and medals from numerous countries, universities and organisations, amongst which are:.