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[humanist]

"British Bases ‘not sovereign’ - Omirou
THE British bases on the island are not sovereign territory, socialist Edek leader Yiannakis Omirou said yesterday.
“Even the British have terrible difficulty in establishing a legally sound view about the sovereignty of the bases,” he added.
Omirou, who was speaking in the House of Representatives, also criticised the British government for “systematically refusing” to meet Cyprus’s demand for the payment of millions of pounds for the use of the bases and other facilities.
He called on the government to make a formal demarche to Britain asking for money due since 1965 .If the British continued to refuse to meet their obligations, then Cyprus should prepare to bring its case before international courts, he added.

Designs

Omirou also argued that Foreign Office papers made public over the years clearly showed that Britain had “permanent partitionist designs” against Cyprus.
Under the 1960 treaties giving the island independence from British rule, the UK kept the two sovereign base areas at Dhekelia and Akrotiri and other facilities.
But it also undertook (under appendix R) to pay Cyprus the amount of ?12m by 1965, by way of a grant.
After that period, Britain would hold consultations with Cyprus in order to “determine the amount of financial aid” to be provided to the island “in the following period of five years.”

Violation

Omirou said that, after paying the ?12m, Britain had failed to provide any assistance since 1965.
Its refusal was tantamount to a violation of a treaty obligation, he argued.
The Edek leader said there were legal opinions supporting the Cyprus claim and the government should therefore make use of these “positive opinions” by claiming its rights in international courts of law".


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