Washington, DC - U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued this statement following the death of former President Glafkos Clerides of Cyprus.

"I was terribly sorry to hear the news of the death of Glafkos Clerides, former President of the Republic of Cyprus, and a giant in the post-independence history of the island. Mr. Clerides was a statesman who fought for the independence of his country, worked to keep it united, and when that failed, was determined to reunite it. President Clerides never gave up on the dream that one day Cyprus would be free from foreign occupation, and Greek and Turkish Cypriots could live as one people again, enjoying all the benefits of their beautiful island home.I had the honor of meeting President Clerides during one of my visits to Cyprus and extend my sincerest condolences to the President's family and all of the people who loved and believed in him."

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