NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus' president says his predecessor Dimitris Christofias has died. He was 72.

President Nicos Anastasiades said he was informed of Christofias' death on Friday with "deep sorrow."

Anastasiades said he and Christofias may have been on divergent political paths, but he did what he thought was best for his country.

Conveying his condolences to the Christofias' family, Anastasiades said his predecessor had been in frail health for many years.

Christofias had been in a critical condition since being admitted to hospital in May. Israeli doctors had assisted Cypriot colleagues in treating the former president.

The Soviet-educated Christofias who led the communist-rooted AKEL party for more than two decades, was elected in 2008 to a single five-year term on the east Mediterranean island nation.