Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Britain Treasure Island Akrotiri and Dhekelia About The British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia comprise those parts of Cyprus which stayed under British jurisdiction and remained British sovereign territory when the 1960 Treaty of Establishment created the independent Republic of Cyprus. They cover 254 km2, 123 around Akrotiri, the Western Sovereign Base Area (WSBA) and 131 around Dhekelia, the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA). Because they are run as military bases, the Sovereign Base Area Administration (SBAA) reports to the British Ministry of Defence in London, rather than the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They are a British Overseas Territory with a civilian administration working under an Administrator who is Commander of the British Forces, Cyprus. The Chief Officer, Administrative Secretary, Resident Judge, Chief Constable and other senior officials are recruited from or seconded from UK departments. The administration of the Bases exists to ensure the effective use as a military base; the full co-operation with the Republic of Cyprus; and the protection of those resident or working in the Bases.

The laws deliberately match those in the Republic of Cyprus, where practicable. The SBAA is responsible for protection of the environment in the Bases, working with the relevant Cypriot Republic departments. Work includes protecting breeding endangered loggerhead Caretta caretta and green turtles Chelonia mydas, which nest here. The only remaining colony of griffon vultures Gyps fulvus on Cyprus is found on the cliffs at Episkopi in the WSBA, and there is a large colony of Eleanora’s falcons Falco eleonorae both here and on the cliffs bordering the Royal Air Force station at Akrotiri. The most important wetland on the island of Cyprus, Akrotiri salt lake, lies within the WSBA and is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. Twenty seven habitat types are recognised across this spectacular mosaic of marshland, salt lake, coastal and marine areas.

Two hundred species of migratory birds use the wetland for over-wintering or breeding, such as over 30,000 greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus demoiselle crane Anthropoides virgo, various migrant waders, black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa, blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, alongside many resident species. The Bases support hundreds of plant species, many of which are rare or endemic such as Achillea maritime, Lotus cytisoides and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. They also contain hundreds of invertebrates, including nearly eighty endemic insect species, and various reptiles and amphibians, some of which have a disproportionately high importance here due to the reduced habitat elsewhere in Cyprus. Read more about the wildlife, history and cultural heritage of all of the UK Overseas Territories in the 704 page Britain’s Treasure Islands book ( CLICK HERE ). Watch 42 ‘mini-documentaries’ that explore the wildlife, cultures and history of all of the UK Overseas Territories ( CLICK HERE ).

UKOTCF: Cyprus - The British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia The British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus The British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia comprise those parts of Cyprus which stayed under British jurisdiction and remained British sovereign territory when the 1960 Treaty of Establishment created the independent Republic of Cyprus. They cover 98 square miles, 47.5 around Akrotiri, the Western Sovereign Base Area (WSBA) and 50.5 around Dhekelia, the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (ESBA). Because they are run as military bases, the Sovereign Base Area Administration (SBAA) reports to the British Ministry of Defence in London rather than the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Nevertheless they are a British Overseas Territory with a civilian administration working under an Administrator who is Commander, British Forces Cyprus. The Chief Officer, Administrative Secretary, Resident Judge, Chief Constable and other senior officials are recruited from or seconded from UK departments.

The administration of the Bases is driven by three main policy objectives: effective use as a military base; full co-operation with the Republic of Cyprus; and protection of those resident or working in the Bases. The SBAA is responsible for protection of the environment in the bases and works closely with the relevant Cypriot Republic departments. A joint exercise protects breeding loggerhead and green turtles on the beaches within the WSBA. The only remaining colony of griffon vultures on Cyprus is on the cliffs at Episkopi in the WSBA, and there is a large colony of Eleanoras falcons both here and on the cliffs bordering the Royal Air Force station at Akrotiri. The most important wetland on the island of Cyprus, Akrotiri salt lake, lies within the WSBA and is a Ramsar wetland site of international importance. The Akrotiri Environment Education and Information Centre was established in 2004 to promote the significance and uniqueness of the Akrotiri Peninsula through educational programmes and exhibits. The centre offers environmental education programmes to school groups from all over Cyprus and welcomes over 10,000 visitors per year.

Two major problems need to be faced by the SBAA: shooting in both the ESBA and WSBA, particularly around Akrotiri salt lake, and netting and trapping of small migrant song-birds on migration in the ESBA in spring and autumn. These practices are illegal in both the Republic of Cyprus and the SBAs (whose laws mirror those of the Republic). These tiny birds of about 16 species are cooked and sold as a delicacy in Cypriot restaurants and exported to Cypriot communities overseas. An estimated 8 million European songbirds are killed each year. Formed in 2003, BirdLife Cyprus is a non-governmental, non-profit, registered organization (NGO) that works to conserve wild birds, their habitats and wider biodiversity in Cyprus, through research, monitoring, lobbying and conservation and awareness-raising actions. about Virtual Tours... click images for larger versions Akrotiri salt lake provides a wintering area for up to 30,000 Greater Flamingos (pictured) and is an important staging area for cranes, migrant waders (black-tailed godwit, pictured) and birds of prey, in particular.

Rare endemic orchids (pictured and various reptiles and amphibians (green tree frog, pictured) are also found within the Bases, as well as many migrant songbirds (blackcap, pictured). Photographs courtesy of Michael Gore FRPS Akrotiri and Dhekelia Akrotiri and Dhekelia Anthem: God Save the Queen Akrotiri (left) and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas indicated in pink. Capital Episkopi Cantonment Official languages English Government Sovereign Base Areas - Administrator Richard Lacey British overseas territory - Established 1960 Area - Total 254 km² 98 sq mi Population - Density n/a/km² ( n/a) n/a/sq mi Currency Cypriot pound ( CYP) Time zone EET ( UTC+2) - Summer ( DST) EEST ( UTC+3) Internet TLD n/a Calling code +n/a Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two areas on the island of Cyprus that comprise the Sovereign Base Areas Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom . The bases were retained by the UK following the transition of Cyprus' status from a colony in the British Empire to an independent Commonwealth republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.

The United Kingdom retained the bases arising from the strategic location of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea . The Bases are split into Akrotiri ( Greek: Ακρωτήρι; Turkish: Agrotur, along with Episkopi Garrison, is part of an area known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλεια; Turkish: Dikelya, along with Ayios Nikolaos, is part of the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA). History The Sovereign Base Areas were created in 1960 by the Treaty of Establishment, when Cyprus, a colony within the British Empire , was granted independence. The United Kingdom wished to retain sovereignty over these areas, as this guaranteed the use of UK military bases in Cyprus, including RAF Akrotiri, and a garrison of the British Army. The importance of the Bases to the British is based on the strategic location of Cyprus, at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and the Middle East ; the ability to use the RAF base as staging post for military aircraft; and for general training purposes.

In 1974, Turkey invaded the North of Cyprus, leading to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . However, this did not affect the status of the Bases, and the British were not involved in the fighting. Greek-Cypriots fleeing from the Turks were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia base, and were given humanitarian aid. The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the base area, rather than risk war with Britain. The Ayia Napa area was thus preserved in Greek hands. Cyprus has occasionally demanded the return of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, citing that the bases take up a large amount of territory that could be used for civilian development. For four years after Cypriot independence in 1960, the British government paid the Republic of Cyprus rent for the bases. After the intercommunal conflict of 1963-64 they stopped, claiming there was no guarantee that both communities would benefit equally from that money. The Cypriot government is still claiming money for the years from 1964 to now. Estimates for the debt range from several hundred thousand to over one billion Euros .

In July 2001, violent protests were held at the Bases by local Cypriots, angry at British plans to construct radio masts at the bases, as part of an upgrade of British military communication posts around the world. Locals had claimed the masts would endanger local lives and cause cancer, as well as have a negative impact on wildlife in the area. The British government denied these claims. The UK has shown no intention of surrendering the Bases, although it has offered to surrender 117 square kilometres of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus. Today, around 3,000 troops of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Ayios Nikolaos, in the ESBA, is believed to be a listening station of the intelligence network ECHELON . Politics The Bases are administered by the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas, who is the Commander British Forces Cyprus. The Administrator is officially appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the Ministry of Defence. The Administrator has all the executive and legislative authority of a Governor of an overseas territory.

A Chief Officer is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government. No elections are held in the Bases, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). Law The Bases have their own legal system, distinct from the UK and Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as at August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are kept, as far as possible, the same as the laws of Cyprus. The Court of the Sovereign Base Area is concerned with non-military offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Law and order is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police, while military law is upheld by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit.

Geography Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia ( n/a ) [n/a]/sq mi</td> </tr><tr> <th colspan="2" style="vertical-align:middle;"> Currency</th> <td>Euro ( EUR )</td> </tr><tr class="mergedtoprow"> <th colspan="2">Time zone</th> <td> EET (UTC+2)</td> </tr><tr class="mergedbottomrow"> <td style="width:1.0em;padding:0 0 0 0.6em;"> - </td> <td style="padding-left:0;">Summer ( DST )</td> <td> EEST (UTC+3)</td> </tr><tr> <th colspan="2">Calling code</th> <td> +357 </td> </tr><tr style="font-size:xx-small;"> <td align="right">a.</td> <td colspan="2" style="padding-left:0;">Including families.</td> </tr> Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Greek: Ακρωτήρι και Δε

κέλεια, Akrotiri kai Dhekeleia; Turkish language: Ağrotur ve Dikelya), officially the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, is a British Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus.

The Areas, which include bases and other land, were retained by the British, under the 1960 treaty of independence, agreed and signed by the United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey and representatives from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, which granted independence to the Crown colony of Cyprus. The territory comprises two Areas. One is Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, IPA: [akro̞ˈtiri] ; Turkish language: Ağrotur), or the "Western Sovereign Base Area" (or WSBA), which includes two main bases at RAF Akrotiri and Episkopi Cantonment , plus all of Akrotiri Village's district (including Limassol Salt Lake ) and parts of eleven other village districts. [1] The other Area is Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλεια, IPA: [ðe̞ˈke̞lia] ; Turkish: Dikelya), or the "Eastern Sovereign Base Area" (or ESBA), which includes a base at Ayios Nikolaos plus parts of twelve village districts.

[2] Contents Main article: Modern history of Cyprus The Sovereign Base Areas were created in 1960 by the Treaty of Establishment , when Cyprus achieved independence from the British Empire . The United Kingdom desired to retain sovereignty over these areas, as this guaranteed the use of UK military bases in Cyprus, including RAF Akrotiri , and a garrison of the British Army . The importance of the bases to the British is based on the strategic location of Cyprus, at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and the Middle East; the ability to use the RAF base as staging post for military aircraft; and for general training purposes. In 1974, following a military coup by the Greek-Cypriot National Guard attempting to achieve enosis (union with Greece), Turkey invaded the north of Cyprus , leading to the establishment of the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . This did not affect the status of the bases.

Greek Cypriots fleeing from the Turks were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, and were given humanitarian aid, with those from Achna setting up a new village (Dasaki Achnas or Achna Forest) which is still in the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area. [3] The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area to avoid military conflict with the United Kingdom. In the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area a tented refugee camp was set up at "Happy Valley" (part of the Episkopi Cantonment ) [4] to house Turkish Cypriots fleeing from Limassol and the villages surrounding the Area, until in 1975 they were flown out of RAF Akrotiri via Turkey to northern Cyprus. [5] Some Greek Cypriot refugees remain housed on land in the parts of Trachoni [6] and Kolossi [7] villages that fall within the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area.

[8] Disputes Edit In July 2001, violent protests were held at the bases by local Cypriots, angry at British plans to construct radio masts at the bases as part of an upgrade of British military communication posts around the world. Locals had claimed the masts would endanger local lives and cause cancer, as well as have a negative impact on wildlife in the area. The British and Cypriot governments jointly commissioned health research from the University of Bristol and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, and that research project reported in 2005 that there was no evidence of health problems being caused by electromagnetic fields from the antennae. [9] The Sovereign Base Areas Administration has carried out assessments and surveys into the effects on wildlife, which have fed into an "Akrotiri Peninsula Environmental Management Plan", published in September 2012. [10] The United Kingdom has shown no intention of ceding the base areas in their entirety to Cypriot control, although it has offered to cede 117 square kilometres (45 sq mi) of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus .

As of 2015 [update] , around 3,000 troops of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Ayios Nikolaos Station , in the ESBA, is a GCHQ electronic intelligence listening station of the UKUSA intelligence network. [11] The election of left-wing Dimitris Christofias as Cypriot president in February 2008 prompted concern in the United Kingdom. Christofias has pledged to remove all foreign military forces from the island as part of a future settlement of the Cyprus dispute , calling the British presence on the island a "colonial bloodstain". [12] Criticisms and Speculation Edit During the Syrian Civil War of 2013, on 29 August 2013, some Cypriot and British media sources speculated that long-range ballistic missiles fired from Syria in retaliation for proposed British involvement in military intervention against the Syrian regime of Bashar Al Assad, could hit Cyprus, and could potentially deliver chemical weapons.

In some Cypriot media, the proposed interdiction of the Syrian civil war, utilising Akrotiri and Dhekelia, could recklessly endanger the Cypriot populations near to those bases. [13] The Cypriot foreign minister, Ioannis Kasoulides moved to calm Cypriot concerns on 27 August 2013, saying that the British bases were unlikely to play a major part in any intervention. [14] Reviews Edit In January 2010, a newspaper article appeared in the mainstream British press [15] claiming that as a result of budgetary constraints arising from the late 2000s recession , the British Ministry of Defence drew up controversial [16] plans to withdraw the United Kingdom's 3,000 strong garrison from Cyprus and end the use of Cyprus as a staging point for ground forces. Since this time, the Labour government under whom the proposal appeared has been replaced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition and their defence review did not mention the issue.

On 15 Dec 2012 in a written statement to the lower house the Secretary of State for Defence of the UK government (Phillip Hammond) revealed the findings of a report on the SBA military bases following the completion of a review of their operations by Lord Ashcroft: "The Sovereign Base areas are in a region of geo-political importance and high priority for the United Kingdom’s long term national security interests...Our military personnel, United Kingdom civilians and locally employed personnel in the Sovereign Base Areas make a major contribution to the national security of the United Kingdom and will continue to do so in the future." [17] Constitution and governance A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 helicopter at RAF Akrotiri. The SBAs were retained in 1960 to keep military bases in areas under British sovereignty, (along with the rights retained to use other Sites in what became the territory of the Republic). That makes them different from the other remaining British Overseas Territories , except for the British Indian Ocean Territory which was similarly carved out of a former colony as a site for a military base, although in that case the base was to be used by the United States and the inhabitants ( Chagossians ) were all removed.

The basic philosophy of their administration was declared by Her Majesty's Government in 'Appendix O' to the 1960 treaty with Cyprus, which provided that the British government intended: Not to develop the Sovereign Base Areas for other than military purposes. Not to set up and administer "colonies". Not to create customs posts or other frontier barriers between the Sovereign Base Areas and the Republic. Not to set up or permit the establishment of civilian commercial or industrial enterprises except insofar as these are connected with military requirements, and not otherwise to impair the economic commercial or industrial unity and life of the Island. Not to establish commercial or civilian seaports or airports. Not to allow new settlement of people in the Sovereign Base Areas other than for temporary purposes. Not to expropriate private property within the Sovereign Base Areas except for military purposes on payment of fair compensation. [18] The ancient monuments and antiquity (in particular the site and remains of Curium, Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates near Curium,the Stadium of Curium and the Church and remains of the Monastery of St. Nicholas of the Cats) will be administered and maintained by the Republic of Cyprus.

Licenses for antiquity excavation will be issued by the Republic but will be subject to the consent of the authorities of the Sovereign Base Areas. Movable antiquities found in excavations or discovered will be the property of the Republic [19] .. According to the Ministry of Defence, Because the SBAs are primarily required as military bases and not ordinary dependent territories, the Administration reports to the Ministry of Defence in London. It has no formal connection with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the British High Commission in Nicosia, although there are close informal links with both offices on policy matters. [20] The territory is administered by an Administrator, who is also the Commander of British Forces Cyprus (from November 2012 Major General Richard J.Cripwell [21] ). The Administrator is officially appointed by the British monarch , on the advice of the Ministry of Defence . The Administrator has all the executive and legislative authority of a Governor of an overseas territory . A Chief Officer is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government, with subordinate Area Officers responsible for the civil administration of the two areas.

No elections are held in the territory, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). The Areas have their own legal system, distinct from the United Kingdom and Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as at August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are kept, as far as possible, the same as the laws of Cyprus. The Court of the Sovereign Base Areas is concerned with non-military offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and law and order is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police , while military law is upheld by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit. Fire and Rescue services are provided by the Defence Fire and Risk Management Organisation through stations at Episkopi, Akrotiri, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolayos. The Defence Medical Services provide emergency ambulance cover based from medical centres in the main bases. All emergency services are accessible from any telephone using the Europe-wide emergency number 112. Geography Episkopi Bay is on the west coast of Akrotiri. Map of Akrotiri, Western Sovereign Base Area, BFPO 57.

Map of Dhekelia, Eastern Sovereign Base Area, BFPOs 58 & 59. Akrotiri and Dhekelia cover 3% of the land area of Cyprus, a total of 254 km2 (98 sq mi) (split 123 km2 (47 sq mi) (47.5) at Akrotiri and 131 km2 (51 sq mi) (50.5) at Dhekelia). Sixty percent of the land is privately owned as freeholds by Cypriot citizens. The other 40% is controlled by the Ministry of Defence as Crown land. In addition to Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the Treaty of Establishment also provided for the continued use by the British Ministry of Defence and the British Armed Forces of certain facilities within Cyprus, known as Retained Sites. Akrotiri is located in the south of the island, near the city of Limassol (or Lemesos). Dhekelia is in the southeast, near Larnaca . Both of these areas include military bases, as well as farmland and some residential land.

Akrotiri is surrounded by territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, but Dhekelia also borders on the United Nations (UN) buffer zone and the area controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus . Ayia Napa lies to the East of Dhekelia. The villages of Xylotymbou and Ormidhia , also in the Republic of Cyprus, are enclaves surrounded by Dhekelia. The Dhekelia Power Station , divided by a British road into two parts, also belongs to Cyprus. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea, and therefore not an enclave, though it has no territorial waters of its own. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in right of the British Crown, and the Crown of the United Kingdom in right of the Sovereign Base Areas Administration, claims territorial waters of up to three nautical miles, and also officially reserves the right according to the laws of the United Nations to extend the claim of up to twelve nautical miles. [22] Demographics See also: Languages of Cyprus When the Areas were being established, the boundaries were deliberately drawn up to avoid centres of population.

Approximately 14,000 people live in the Areas. About 7,000 native Cypriots work in the Areas themselves, or on farmland within the boundaries of the Areas. The British military and their families make up the rest of the population. Persons may in theory be eligible to claim the British Overseas Territories citizenship or the BOTC status through a personal connection to the Areas; but unlike most other British Overseas Territories, there is no provision in the British Nationality Acts by which British citizenship (with the right of abode in the United Kingdom) can either be claimed through automatic entitlement or be applied for by means of registration, from or through a sole personal connection to the Base Areas. Under the terms of the 1960 agreement with Cyprus establishing the Sovereign Base Areas, the United Kingdom is committed not to use the Areas for civilian purposes. This was stated in 2002 as the primary reason for the exclusion of the Areas from the scope of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 . Economy Edit There are no economic statistics gathered for Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The main economic activities are the provision of services to the military, as well as limited agriculture.

On 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the Euro along with the rest of Cyprus under the effective control and administration of the Republic and the Government of Cyprus. The Sovereign Base Areas are the only areas under British sovereignty to officially use as the official tender the Euro. [23] Media BFBS Radio 1 and 2 are broadcast on FM and can be widely received in Cyprus, but the BFBS Television signal has been confined to the SBAs or encrypted since 1997, for copyright reasons. Limassol BBC Relay is situated here. Amateur radio Edit The bases are issued different amateur radio call signs from the Republic of Cyprus. Amateurs on the bases use the International Telecommunication Union prefix of "ZC4" which is assigned to Great Britain. There are about 52 amateurs licensed in this manner. The ITU prefix for the Republic of Cyprus is mainly "5B". The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus uses the unallocated call sign prefix of "1B", but this is only recognized internationally by Turkey.

Under ITU regulations it is illegal for an amateur radio operator to communicate via radio with a call sign issued by a state not recognised as a member of the ITU, with the exception of a true emergency. See also Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area Further Reading Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area. Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit. Approximately 15,700 people live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents.

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by the Ministry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land. Under the provisions of the Treaty of Establishment, Britain retained perpetual sovereignty over two areas on the southern coast of Cyprus, totaling 256 square kilometers. A further fifteen reserved areas, including water sources and off-base radar sites, remained under British jurisdiction. Since 1960 the British Army and Royal Air Force (RAF) have garrisoned up to 10,000 troops in the Sovereign Base Areas at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Formerly, two squadrons of bombers and their fighter escorts were based on Cyprus, but since the late 1970s the RAF has no longer stationed combat aircraft on the island. With the decline of the British military presence in the Middle East, the bases have been used as training sites for RAF and ground force units and staging areas between Britain and southern Asia and the Far East.

With permission from the Cyprus government, British troops also carried on extensive training outside the base area in the Troodos Mountains. The bases provided support for UN troops on Cyprus and workshops for maintenance of UN equipment. The most important role of the bases was electronic intelligence gathering and communications relay. Intercepts were made of aircraft, ship, and satellite communications from the eastern Mediterranean through the Middle East to Iran. Information so acquired was shared with the United States. Although the bases had no formal link to NATO, their presence in the primary area of operation of the Soviet naval squadron in the Mediterranean was of material value to the alliance. The bases provided logistic support for peace-keeping missions by United States forces in the Middle East, including the Multinational Force sent to Lebanon in 1982. U-2 reconnaissance planes were based at Akrotiri beginning in the 1970s, to monitor the cease-fire in the Sinai. The United States also maintained Blackhawk helicopters there, which had flown support missions on behalf of the American Embassy in Beirut prior to its closure. As of 1990, the British personnel strength of the Sovereign Base Areas was about 4,000, plus approximately the same number of dependents.

The army units consisted of one infantry battalion plus two infantry companies and one armored reconnaissance squadron. The only permanent RAF unit was a squadron of five Wessex helicopters. The army had six Gazelle helicopters, which also served to support UNFICYP activities. The British bases were a long-standing source of contention, although most Greek Cypriots as of 1990 accepted the presence of British forces. Military relations were very good, and British and Greek Cypriot authorities cooperated closely in antiterrorism matters. Virtually all Greek Cypriot political parties agreed that Britain should eventually give up its rights on the island. The communist party, AKEL, was the most vocal in attacking the use of the bases for intelligence purposes and in calling for the British to relinquish the territory. NEWSLETTER Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Wikishire Akrotiri and Dhekelia Dialling code: 00357 The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are collectively a British overseas territory consisting of two Sovereign Base Areas on the south coast of the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.

Akrotiri and Dhekelia are administered as Sovereign Base Areas of the United Kingdom . The bases were retained by the British following the granting of independence and the eventual transition of Cyprus from a crown colony to an independent sovereign state. The United Kingdom demanded and succeeded in continuing to occupy a portion of Cyprus in the form of military bases because of the strategic location of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of British interests. The bases are split into Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι, along with Episkopi Garrison, is part of an area known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλεια) along with Ayios Nikolaos, is part of the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA). Contents Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA Map of Dhekelia (Eastern) SBA Akrotiri and Dhekelia cover 3% of the land area of Cyprus, a total of 98 square miles of which 47 square miles is the Western Sovereign Base Area (Akrotiri) and 51 square miles is the Eastern Sovereign Base Area (Dhekelia).

60% of the land is privately owned, either by British or Cypriot citizens and the other 40% is owned by the Ministry of Defence, or is classed as Crown land. In addition to Akrotiri and Dhekelia themselves, the Treaty of Establishment also provides for the continued use by the British Government of certain facilities within Cyprus, known as Retained Sites, which are nevertheless outside the Territory. Akrotiri is located in the south of the island, near the city of Limassol. Dhekelia is in the southeast, near Larnaca. Both of these areas include military bases, as well as farmland and some residential land. Akrotiri is surrounded by territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, but Dhekelia also borders on the United Nations (UN) buffer zone and the area controlled by the unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Ayia Napa, a coastal resort town within the Republic of Cyprus lies to the East of Dhekelia. The villages of Xylotymbou and Ormidhia, also in the Republic of Cyprus, are enclaves surrounded by Dhekelia SBA.

The Dhekelia Power Station, divided by a British road into two parts, also belongs to Cyprus. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea, and therefore not an enclave, though it has no territorial waters of its own. People When the bases were being established, the boundaries were drawn up to avoid centres of population. However, around 14,000 people live in the bases. Around 7,000 native Cypriots live in the bases, who either work in the bases themselves, or on farmland within the boundaries of the bases. The British military and their families make up the rest of the population. There is no specific citizenship available for the bases, although some people may be able to claim British Overseas Territories citizenship. Unlike all other British territories, BOT citizens connected solely with the Sovereign Base Areas do not have any entitlement to full British citizenship.

Under the terms of the 1960 agreement with Cyprus establishing the Sovereign Base Areas, the United Kingdom issued a non-binding letter of intent not to form colonies in the Areas or use them for civilian purposes: this was stated in 2002 as the primary reason for the exclusion of the Areas from the scope of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. Today, around 3,000 troops of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Ayios Nikolaos Station, in the ESBA, is a GCHQ electronic intelligence listening station of the UKUSA intelligence network. [1] History Akrotiri Airhead The island of Cyprus was ruled by the United Kingdom from 1878, and it became a Crown colony in 1918. After a bitter guerrilla war, Cyprus was granted independence in 1960, but by the Treaty of Establishment the two Sovereign Base Areas were excluded from the Republic of Cyprus and retained by the United Kingdom; Britain needed the military bases in Cyprus, including RAF Akrotiri because of the strategic location of Cyprus at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and the Middle East.

The bases give the RAF a staging post for military aircraft; and bases for general training purposes. In 1974, following a military coup by the Greek-Cypriot National Guard attempting to achieve enosis (union with Greece), Turkey invaded the north of Cyprus, leading to the establishment of the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. However, this did not affect the status of the bases. Greek Cypriots fleeing from the Turks were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia base, and were given humanitarian aid. The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the base area, as to avoid military conflict with the United Kingdom. The Cypriots have often sought the cession of the Sovereign Base Areas to the Republic of Cyprus, which the British government has shown no intention of entertaining, although it did offer to surrender 45 square miles of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus. Constitution and governance The Sovereign Base Areas were retained in 1960 as military bases under British sovereignty, not as ordinary colonial territories.

This is the basic philosophy of their administration as declared by Her Majesty's Government in 'Appendix O' to the 1960 treaty with Cyprus, which stated that the British government intended: Not to develop the Sovereign Base Areas for other than military purposes. Not to set up and administer "colonies". Not to create customs posts or other frontier barriers between the Sovereign Base Areas and the Republic. Not to set up or permit the establishment of civilian commercial or industrial enterprises except insofar as these are connected with military requirements, and not otherwise to impair the economic commercial or industrial unity and life of the Island. Not to establish commercial or civilian seaports or airports. Not to allow new settlement of people in the Sovereign Base Areas other than for temporary purposes. Not to expropriate private property within the Sovereign Base Areas except for military purposes on payment of fair compensation. [2] The bases have their own legal system, distinct from the United Kingdom and Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as at August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are kept, as far as possible, the same as the laws of Cyprus.

The Court of the Sovereign Base Areas is concerned with non-military offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and law and order is maintained by the Sovereign Base Areas Police, while military law is upheld by the Cyprus Joint Police Unit. Amateur Radio The bases are issued different amateur radio call signs from the Republic of Cyprus. Amateurs on the bases use the International Telecommunication Union prefix of "ZC4" which is assigned to Great Britain. There are about 52 amateurs licensed in this manner. The ITU prefix for the Republic of Cyprus is mainly "5B". The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus uses the unallocated call sign prefix of "1B", but this is only recognized internationally by Turkey. Under ITU regulations it is illegal for an amateur radio operator to communicate via radio with a call sign issued by a state not recognised as a member of the ITU, with the exception of a true emergency. Politics According to the Ministry of Defence, "Because the SBAs are primarily required as military bases and not ordinary dependent territories, the Administration reports to the Ministry of Defence in London.

It has no formal connection with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the British High Commission in Nicosia, although there are close informal links with both offices on policy matters." [3] The bases are administered by the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas, who is the Commander of British Forces Cyprus. The Administrator is officially appointed by The Queen, on the advice of the Ministry of Defence. The Administrator has all the executive and legislative authority of a Governor of an overseas territory. A Chief Officer is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government. No elections are held in the Bases, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). Economy There are no economic statistics gathered for Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The main economic activities are the provision of services to the military, as well as limited agriculture. On 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus, despite not being part of the European Union. The Sovereign Base Areas are the only areas under British sovereignty to use the euro.

[4] Media A monthly magazine 'CFL - Cyprus Forces Life' is published in both SBAs and in shops. British Forces Broadcasting Service BFBS Radio 1 and 2 are broadcast on FM and can be widely received in Cyprus, but the BFBS Television signal has been confined to the SBAs or encrypted since 1997, for copyright reasons. Limassol BBC Relay is situated here. References ↑ The UKUSA signals intelligence system is sometimes known as 'ECHELON,' which is a codeword used by the system whose exact status is not clear. Jeffrey Richelson & Desmond Ball, The Ties the Bind: Intelligence Cooperation between the UKUSA Countries, Unwin Hyman, Boston/London and others, 1990, p.194 note 145. Akrotiri and Dhekelia Akrotiri and Dhekelia . Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two areas on the island of Cyprus that comprise the Sovereign Base Areas Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The bases were retained by the UK following the transition of Cyprus' status from a colony in the British Empire to an independent republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.

The United Kingdom retained the bases arising from the strategic location of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. The Bases are split into Akrotiri (Greek: Ακρωτήρι; Turkish: Agrotur, along with Episkopi Garrison, is part of an area known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (Greek: Δεκέλεια; Turkish: Dikelya, along with Ayios Nikolaos, is part of the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA.) History The Sovereign Base Areas were created in 1960 by the Treaty of Establishment, when Cyprus, a colony within the British Empire, was granted independence. The United Kingdom wished to retain sovereignty over these areas, as this guaranteed the use of UK military bases in Cyprus, including RAF Akrotiri, and a garrison of the British Army. The importance of the Bases to the British is based on the strategic location of Cyprus, at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean, close to the Suez Canal and the Middle East; the ability to use the RAF base as staging post for military aircraft; and for general training purposes.

In 1974, Turkey invaded the North of Cyprus, leading to the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. However, this did not affect the status of the Bases, and the British were not involved in the fighting. Greek-Cypriots fleeing from the Turks were permitted to travel through the Dhekelia base, and were given humanitarian aid. The Turkish advance halted when it reached the edge of the base area, rather than risk war with Britain. The Ayia Napa area was thus preserved in Greek hands. Cyprus has occasionally demanded the return of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, citing that the bases take up a large amount of territory that could be used for civilian development. For 4 years after Cypriot independence in 1960, the British government paid the Republic of Cyprus rent for the bases. After the intercommunal conflict of 1963-64 they stopped, claiming there was no guarantee that both communities would benefit equally from that money. The Cypriot government is still claiming money for the years from 1964 to now. Estimates for this range from several hundred thousand to over one billion Euros.

In July 2001, violent protests were held at the Bases by local Cypriots, angry at British plans to construct radio masts at the bases, as part of an upgrade of British military communication posts around the world. Locals had claimed the masts would endanger local lives and cause cancer, as well as have a negative impact on wildlife in the area. The British government denied these claims. The UK has shown no intention of surrendering the Bases, although it has offered to surrender 45 square miles of farmland as part of the rejected Annan Plan for Cyprus. Today, around 3,000 troops of British Forces Cyprus are based at Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Ayios Nikolaos , in the ESBA, is a listening station of the intelligence network ECHELON. Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA, Map of Dhekelia (Eastern) SBA Politics The Bases are administered by the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas, who is the Commander British Forces Cyprus. The Administrator is officially appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the Ministry of Defence. The Administrator has all the executive and legislative authority of a Governor of an overseas territory.

A Chief Officer is appointed, and is responsible to the Administrator for the day-to-day running of the civil government. No elections are held in the Bases, although British citizens are normally entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections (as British Forces or overseas electors). Law The Bases have their own legal system, distinct from the UK and Cyprus. This consists of the laws of the Colony of Cyprus as at August 1960, amended as necessary. The laws of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are kept, as far as possible, the same as the laws of Cyprus. The Court of the Sovereign Base Area is concerned with non-military offences committed by any person within Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Geography Akrotiri and Dhekelia cover 3% of the land area of Cyprus, a total of 98 square miles (47.5 at Akrotiri and 50.5 at Dhekelia). 60% of the land is privately owned, either by British or Cypriot citizens. The other 40% is owned by the Ministry of Defence, or is classed as Crown land.

In addition to Akrotiri and Dhekelia themselves, the Treaty of Establishment also provides for the continued use by the British Government of certain facilities within Cyprus, known as Retained Sites. Akrotiri is located in the south of the island, near the city of Limassol (or Lemesos). Dhekelia is in the southeast, near Larnaca. Both of these areas include military bases, as well as farmland and some residential land. Akrotiri is surrounded by territory controlled by the Republic of Cyprus, but Dhekelia also borders on the United Nations (UN) buffer zone and the Turkish-occupied part of the island. Ayia Napa lies to the East of Dhekelia. The villages of Xylotymvou and Ormidhia, also in the Republic of Cyprus, are enclaves surrounded by Dhekelia SBA. The Dhekelia Power Station, divided by a British road into two parts, also belongs to Cyprus. The northern part is an enclave, like the two villages, whereas the southern part is located by the sea, and therefore not an enclave, though it has no territorial waters of its own.

Demographics When the Bases were being established, the boundaries were drawn up to avoid centres of population. However, around 14,000 people live in the Bases. Around 7,000 native Cypriots live in the Bases, who either work in the Bases themselves, or on farmland within the boundaries of the Bases. The British military and their families make up the rest of the population. There is no specific citizenship available for the Bases, although some people may be able to claim British Overseas Territories citizenship (BOTC) status. Unlike all other British territories, BOTCs connected solely with the Sovereign Base Areas do not have any entitlement to full British citizenship. Under the terms of the 1960 agreement with Cyprus establishing the Sovereign Base Areas, the United Kingdom is committed not to use the Areas for civilian purposes. This was stated in 2002 as the primary reason for the exclusion of the Areas from the scope of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 Economy There are no economic statistics gathered for Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The main economic activities are the provision of services to the military, and limited agriculture. References Vassilis K.

Fouskas. 2003. Zones of Conflict: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Balkans and the Greater Middle East. Pluto Press. ISBN 0745320309. Pp. 93, 111 Links

Question: Where are Akrotiri and Dhekelia, allocated by treaty to the UK as sovereign military bases?
Answer: Cyprus