Cyprus-Forum.com

[kimon07]

No cowboy, the Annan Plan did not touch the colonial regime of the bases, as it was agreed in 1960. The only change that was incorporated in the plan was the return of half their total area to the Federal Republic of Cyprus, with 90% going to the GC state and 10% to the TC state. As things stand now, we did the Brits a favour for they have not returned one inch.

1. “The Long Mile of Empire” by
COSTAS M. CONSTANTINOU & OLIVER P. RICHMOND”

“As stated in its preamble, the Additional Protocol to the Treaty of Establishment was meant to “give effect to the intention of the Government of the United Kingdom to
relinquish sovereignty over parts of Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area” (Annan Plan, Annex II, 2004).

Instead, Article 6 of the Additional Protocol contained an interesting and crucial detail, while addressing the issue of the seas. It required a report “delimit[ing] the waters adjacent to the Sovereign Base Areas that the United Cyprus Republic shall not claim as part of its territorial sea. . . prepared by a duly qualified person to be designated by
the Government of the United Kingdom” (authors’ italics). This was a surprise change from the previous version of the Plan, which the UN team made in its
arbitrating capacity where disagreements existed (that is, a post-negotiation modification that was not open to renegotiation). Yet what is amazing is that this
issue was not part of the negotiation between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and the earlier version of the Annan Plan stated that there would actually be
80 C. M. Constantinou & O. P. Richmond “two duly qualified persons to be designated by the Governments of the United Cyprus Republic and of the United Kingdom” (authors’ italics).

What is even more amazing is that this provision of essentially UK-authorized delimitation, specifically overrides the provision of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment, which allows for the referral of delimitation disputes “to an independent expert to be selected by agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus. . . [and whose]
decision shall be final and binding” (TOE, Annex A, 1960: Section 2.4).

In other words, on this particular issue the 2004 Annan Plan was a clear “improvement” for the British imperial prerogative, more “imperialist” than the 1960 post-colonial
provisions.

See the link in my initial post above.

[Bananiot]

This additional protocol was necessary to make the transfer of half the area of the bases to the United Federal Cyprus. Britain, and I am now trying to play the devil's advocate, wanted to secure the access to the Bases as both are on the coast. I cannot understand how this affects the Exclusive Exploitation Zone of Cyprus and our sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources.

[kimon07]

There is no truth in your claim that the bases have a Continental Shelf (according to the Annan Plan). The bases were given total access through the sea ways and this is again, for practical reasons. In 2003-2004 this was turned upside down by those opposing the efforts for solution in order to win over the unsuspecting. In case you haven't noticed, we rejected the Plan, so really there is no need to continue with the lie.

Cyprus shall not claim, as part of its territorial sea, waters lying between the lines described in the report referred to in the Additional Protocol to this Treaty.”

If these waters are not territorial sea of Cyprus, whose territorial sea are they? Britain's. Therefore, Britain has continental shelf and EEZ rights over them and further out. Your point about the "free access through the sea ways" is regulated by the next paragraph which refers to waters lying between the base areas not the ones adjacent to the base areas.

Conclusion. Waters adjacent to the bases = non Cyprus territorial = British territorial = also continental shelf = also EEZ.
Waters between the British territorial = free access only.

[wyoming cowboy]

SBA Customs and Immigration - Akrotiri
The principal activity of SBA Customs Akrotiri relates to the control of RAF Akrotiri, with flights from the UK and third countries, particularly the Middle East . Additionally the Western Sovereign Base Area has 46.5 km of coastline and associated territorial waters, to provide maritime controls SBA Customs is assisted by BFC units through close and effective liaison....


what are the territorial waters they are referring to?

[kimon07]

Conclusion. Waters adjacent to the bases = non Cyprus territorial = British territorial = also continental shelf = also EEZ.
Waters between the British territorial = free access only.

EEZ and Continental shelf.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Economic_Zone

Definition

Generally, a state's EEZ extends to a distance of 200 nautical miles (370 km) out from its coastal baseline. The exception to this rule occurs when EEZs would overlap; that is, state coastal baselines are less than 400 nautical miles (740 km) apart. When an overlap occurs, it is up to the states to delineate the actual maritime boundary.[2] Generally, any point within an overlapping area defaults to the nearest state.[3]
A state's exclusive economic zone starts at the seaward edge of its territorial sea and extends outward to a distance of 200 nautical miles (370,4 km) from the baseline. The exclusive economic zone stretches much further into sea than the territorial waters which extends 12 NM (22 km) into the sea[4] Thus, the EEZ includes the contiguous zone. States also have rights to the seabed of what is called the continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles (648 km) from the coastal baseline, beyond the EEZ, but such areas are not part of their EEZ. The legal definition of the continental shelf does not directly correspond to the geological meaning of the term, as it also includes the continental rise and slope, and the entire seabed within the EEZ.