Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

better to move the bases to a NATO aligned country methinks.

Yes, off you go to Turkey ...

[SKI-preo]

Jerry postedI recall that back in the 60s the Labour Government talked about giving up the bases but the US persuaded/asked them to stay. I don't like the idea of any imperialist power maintaining bases on someone else's territory but having said that I'm sure the income from them helped the Cyprus economy in its early days. "

The UK actually is 56 years behind in payments it was obligated to make as part of the Treaties establishing the bases. It unilaterally decided to cut payments in 1963. I read somewhere that there was talk of Cyprus taking the UK to the ICJ or the Hague or someshit. Maybe now is a good time to do it. It would give a lot Cypriot lawyers plenty of work during a recession.

[AWE]

I guess the UK could lease them to the USA - after all they are Sovereign British territory as are/were the USA airbases in the UK. Then the USA will have an easier time of it transferring "extraordinary rendition" prisoners to the CIA black prison they are building in the Karpas...

[Paphitis]

If (God forbid) the bases were offered to the Yanks the Cyprus problem would be solved in a couple of days.

If the SBAs were offered to the Yanks and this somehow resulted in a solution within a couple of days, then wouldn't that be a good thing and such a very small price to pay?

Are you unable to prioritize?

[wyoming cowboy]

if we were smart enough and savvy enough in the 60's to give a base to the USA there would not be any problems in cyprus today, but as always a small dot on the planet and we think cyprus is the center of the universe!!!

[Svetlana]

The Ayios Nikolaos station is thought to be part of the Echelon SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) network - which inludes the US/UK/Australia/Canada/NZ. I doubt whether the UK will give the SBA back.

[Paphitis]

The Ayios Nikolaos station is thought to be part of the Echelon SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) network - which inludes the US/UK/Australia/Canada/NZ. I doubt whether the UK will give the SBA back.

I also doubt it as well.

There are too many other countries mentioned above that have their finger in the pie.

[miltiades]

Britain ought to be reminded in very clear terms of its obligations under the 1959 Zurich agreements, furthermore it ought to be made aware that since she so abysmally failed to meet her legal obligations in 1974 she has forfeited any rights given to her in ZA. She must be told clearly, unequivocally and sternly that her presence in Cyprus is not one of permanence AND ENTITLEMENT but one that is negotiable with the legal government of Cyprus. The legality of the "sovereign" British areas is questionable since this "sovereign areas" were in the same agreement that Britain signed guarantying Cyprus's independence and territorial sovereignty and which commitment she failed to meet. Britain simply can not cherry pick which contents of the ZA are still legally valid or not.
Cyprus has derived immense economic benefits by the presence of the British basis , politically though Cyprus has been grossly mistreated by Britain whose interests dictated an unfriendly and unsupportive position on Cyprus.

[Paphitis]

Britain ought to be reminded in very clear terms of its obligations under the 1959 Zurich agreements, furthermore it ought to be made aware that since she so abysmally failed to meet her legal obligations in 1974 she has forfeited any rights given to her in ZA. She must be told clearly, unequivocally and sternly that her presence in Cyprus is not one of permanence AND ENTITLEMENT but one that is negotiable with the legal government of Cyprus. The legality of the "sovereign" British areas is questionable since this "sovereign areas" were in the same agreement that Britain signed guarantying Cyprus's independence and territorial sovereignty and which commitment she failed to meet. Britain simply can not cherry pick which contents of the ZA are still legally valid or not.
Cyprus has derived immense economic benefits by the presence of the British basis , politically though Cyprus has been grossly mistreated by Britain whose interests dictated an unfriendly and unsupportive position on Cyprus.

Now you're talking!

Use those SBAs as leverage and then we will see how quickly the Cyprus Problem is solved.

[nigeyboy]

'I read it in the Guardian so it must be true' What is the primary objective of a newspaper, to report the truth or sell copies & adverts !!

Every year we hear about cutbacks in the MoD. We're just about due the annual 'The Red Arrows are too expensive and are being scrapped' as well.

The UK is financially in a pickle, just like the majority of the world. The Govt announced they need to save 20% on public spending overall this week. Do we see 1 in 5 council offices closig, 1 in 5 police stations closimg etc. No we don't, we see generl cutbacks accross the board. I'm sure the MoD will do the same as usual.

The SBAs were leased to the UK 'for impertuity', they're not going to give them back now for little or no reason, especially given their current geographic location. The majority of threat to the UK comes from the Middle East at the moment, it's handy having a stop off point so close, shall we say !

Lastly, if we gave them to the Yanks (AS IF), they'd be a quick end to the Cyprus problem, but we'd all be speaking Turkish by Christmas.

Anyway, don't believe everything you read in the papers