Ioannis Kasoulidis

Ioannis Kasoulides was born on 10th of August, 1948 in Nicosia. He is married with Mme Droushiotou Emy and has one daughter named Joanna.

Career

Kasoulides studied medicine at the University of Lyon in France and specialised in geriatrics in London. He founded, and was the chairman of, the Federation of Cypriot Students Union in France and served from various party posts in the centre-right party, democratic Rally. Upon his return to Cyprus, he started practicing medicine. In 1991, he was elected to Parliament, and in March 1993 he was appointed to the post of Government Spokesman, where he served until April 1997 when he was appointed Foreign Minister until the end of term of the Clerides administration in 2003.

In June 2004, he was elected a Member of the European Parliament. He sat as a Member of the Bureau of the European People's Party until November 2007, when he stood as candidate for the Presidency in Cyprus. He sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs and serves as a substitute in the Transport and Tourism Committee. He is also member of the Euromeditarranean Parliamentary Assembly, serving as the EPP-ED group's coordinator in the Committee for Culture and Intercultural Dialogue. In the European Parliament, he is also serving as Vice-Chairman of the Delegation for Relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, Chairman of the ad hoc Delegation for Human Rights in Western Sahara, and Chairman of the Friends of the Commonwealth Intergroup.

Kasoulides run for President in the February 2008 elections in Cyprus. He won the first round, against all expectations, entering the second round against the eventual winner, Dimitris Christofias. Kasoulides received just under 47% of the vote, an impressive result, given that his opponent had negotiated the support of all major political parties.

Education and work experience

*1974: Graduate in medicine (M.D.) in Lyon
*1981: specialised in geriatrics at London Hospital
*1975-1981: Hospital doctor and lecturer in London
*1981-1993: Practised medicine in Nicosia

Publications

*"Cyprus-EE: The Accession as I Lived It" (2007)

Timeline

*1985-1989: Various posts in the Democratic Rally (DISY)
*1990-1993: Chairman of Democratic Rally Youth Movement
*from 1993: Member of the Democratic Rally Political Bureau
*1991-1993: Deputy for Nicosia
*1993-1997: Government spokesman
*1997-2003: Minister of Foreign Affairs
*Founder of D.D.K
*July 2003: Strategy and Public Affairs Limited (communications and crisis management consultants)
*May 2004: Elected member of European Parliament

Decorations

*Commander of the Order of the Phoenix Hellenic Republic
*Commander of the Order of Merit Hellenic Republic
*Commander of the Order of Xirka (Malta)
*Commander of the Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)
*Commander of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre
*Palestinian Bethlehem 2000 Award
*Athens Municipality Highest Distinction Award

ee also

*European Parliament election, 2004 (Cyprus)

References

External links

* [http://wwwdb.europarl.eu.int/ep6/owa/whos_mep.data?ilg=EN&iucd=28474 European Parliament biography]
*Declaration of financial interests of the 6th term|28474_30-06-2004.PDF|el
*Personal website link http://kasoulides.com [http://kasoulides.com]
* [http://www.KyproEkloges.com CYPRUS ELECTIONS - ΕΚΛΟΓΕΣ]
* [http://www.cypruselections.org Cyprus Elections & Politics]