By Jean Christou
BRITAIN on Monday offered to hand back almost half of its 98 square-mile territory as part of a Cyprus solution: why now, and – if the land is of no military value – why not sooner?
According to the proposal, presented by British special envoy Lord David Hannay, Britain would give up some 45 square miles in the event of a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Britain currently retains 98 square miles, or three per cent, of Cypriot territory. Approximately 3,500 British forces are stationed at Dhekelia and Akrotiri, which is the largest RAF facility outside Britain and served as a key supply post during the 1991 Gulf War.
Ninety per cent of the territory returned would come under Greek Cypriot control, the rest would go to the Turkish Cypriot community.
The offer is valid only if a Cyprus solution based on the UN plan is agreed by both sides in separate referenda. If either community rejected the peace settlement, the British offer would be void.
However, according to Appendix P of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment, under which the two sovereign base areas were created: “In the event that the government of the United Kingdom, in view of changes in their military requirements, should at any time decide to divest themselves of the aforesaid sovereignty or effective control over the Sovereign Base Areas, or any part thereof, it is understood that such sovereignty or control shall be transferred to the Republic of Cyprus.”
The fact that Britain is prepared to give up territory in the event of a Cyprus solution has raised the question of why it was not done sooner, in line with the provisions of Appendix P.
Britain admits that the areas in question are no longer necessary for their military operations on the island, but it is believed they have not been handed back sooner for fear of entering a political minefield with the Turkish Cypriots, many of whom live within bases territory. This is believed to have been the key consideration to holding on to territory Britain no longer needs.
Including the extra land in the context of a Cyprus settlement removes any problems in that regard.
From a legal point of view, the Treaty of Establishment refers to the Republic of Cyprus as created in 1960 with Turkish Cypriot participation. Britain is concerned at handing the land back to the Republic without a settlement for fear of upsetting the Turks, even though it only recognises the Republic.
DIKO deputy and anti-bases campaigner Marios Matsakis said that by offering back the land as part of a Cyprus solution, Britain had shown it didn’t really need it in the first place.
“If they don’t need it, they should give it back immediately and it shouldn’t be part of a solution,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “It has nothing to do with a solution.”
Commenting on Britain’s reasons for not giving the land back sooner, he said there was no reason why it should have upset Turkish Cypriots because the land would have been given back to the Republic of Cyprus.
“The treaty of establishment talks quite clearly about the Republic of Cyprus and this is the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus,” he said.
“They will not be taking anything from the Turkish Cypriots. They will be giving back some land to the Republic of Cyprus.”
Matsakis said that even if there was no Cyprus solution, he would strongly support the idea that civilian areas outside British military installations be given back to the Republic.
“This stance of the British government has proved what I’ve been saying all along: that the civilian areas outside the installations are not of military importance to Britain so they have proved this and therefore they should give it back,” he said.
Following a similar line, the Green Party said yesterday it would not rest until the bases were completely removed from Cyprus.
Outgoing government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou said it was too early to be thinking about whether Britain should return the land irrespective of a solution. “It’s a sacrifice they are undertaking to facilitate a solution,” he said. “That’s what they say. Let’s wait and see whether there will be a solution and we shall see.”
Outgoing Attorney-general, Alecos Markides, who has been retained on Tassos Papadopoulos’ negotiating said it didn’t follow that Britain should give the land back in any case. “They want to make a gesture for the purpose of facilitating a solution to the Cyprus problem,” he said. “The bottom line is they want to make a gesture, nothing less, nothing more.”
He did not want to comment on Appendix P and said it was a matter for the government.
House President Demetris Christofias warned the Cypriot people should not be blinded by the bases offer and should focus on the issue at hand — “a solution to the Cyprus problem.”
Papadopoulos said yesterday the British offer was “an encouraging development, which we must welcome. Let’s hope that gradually, all the Bases’ territory will be returned either to the Republic of Cyprus or the new state which will ensue,” he said.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
