The US cannot nudge Britain from Cyprus unless…
I refer to Michael Rubin’s article in the National Interest of 8 November 2024 titled “The U.S. Should Nudge Britain from Cyprus” in which he writes and I quote:
“To accompany their withdrawal, the United Kingdom might hand over control of their Cypriot bases to the United States just as it did with Bahrain”.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/us-should-nudge-britain-cyprus-213644
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/the-u-s-should-nudge-britain-from-cyprus/
This is unrealistic (no handover can take place) and would violate Appendix P of the Cyprus Constitution, titled “FUTURE OF SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS”. No Government of the United Kingdom would dare ignore Appendix P of the Cyprus Constitution.
Appendix P covers the Exchanges of Notes between the Representative of the United Kingdom authorised to sign the Treaty of Establishment and Archbishop Makarios and Dr. F. Kutchuk and which clarifies the obligations of the United Kingdom if and when it will no longer need the Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs).
The Exchanged Notes in paragraph 2) specifically state:
“We wish, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, to assure you that the Republic of Cyprus will not demand that the United Kingdom should relinquish their sovereignty or effective control over the sovereign Base Areas. In the event, however, 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”.
In the event therefore that the Government of the UK no longer needs the SBAs, it is obliged to return them to the Republic of Cyprus and to no other. Following such a move if the Government of the Republic of Cyprus wishes with the consent of the people to lease them to the USA or another tenant that is another matter…
As far as American presence in the Republic of Cyprus is concerned, Dr. Yiannos Charalambides’ article 10.11.2024 in “Simerini” newspaper in Cyprus “ Cyprus an American and NATO base” is explicit. It details that already two areas in the free part of the RoC, at Mari and A. Papandreou base (at Paphos), are being transformed to American/NATO bases by the Americans in cooperation with the Government of Cyprus.
Fanoulla Argyrou
Researcher/journalist/author
London. 13.11.2024
