Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Akrotiri ( Greek Ακρωτήρι in ), also called Episkopi Garrison , and Dhekelia ( Δεκέλεια in Greek; also called Ayios Nikolaos ) is British military bases with Cyprus. Akrotiri belongs to the ESBA ( Eastern Sovereign Base Area ) while Dhekelia is a share of the WSBA ( Western Sovereign Base Area ).

Akritori is in the south of the island, close to the town of Limassol (or Lemesos). Dhekelia is in south-east, close to Larnaca. In all these territories, one finds a military base, also farm ground and residential ground. Akrotiri is completely encircled by the République of Cyprus, but Dhekelia divides a border with a buffer zone under administration of UNO between the two republics, and a border with the zone under administration of the Turkish zone of Cyprus of North.

These two zones are the residues which the United Kingdom wanted to preserve as bases strategic in the Mediterranean, whereas it granted independence to the Republic of Cyprus. During the invasion of the Republic by the Turkish troops, those took guard not to cross the border of the British bases, in order to avoid the entry in war against the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom took part with the mandate of UNO in the establishment of a buffer zone under administration of UNO between the Northern part occupied (and autoproclamée since " Turkish republic of Cyprus of North " , not recognized internationally safe by Turkey) and the remainder of the Republic of Cyprus.

A military force, the British Forces Cyprus, is stationed in Cyprus in these two bases since the independence of the old colony. One finds there the only base of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Mediterranean, (RAF Akrotiri). In addition to the garrison, the the United Kingdom contributes to the forces of UNO in Cyprus. On the whole, there are approximately 3500 British civils servant residing at Cyprus.

When the Turkish troops invaded the North of the island, the British left the populations taken refuge to cross the bases, and brought assistance to them. However a litigation always opposes the United Kingdom to Cyprus on the payment of an allowance for the occupation of two military bases. The United Kingdom paid these allowances during 4 years only, until the occupation of North, considering that the rent would be inequitable if it returned to the only Republic of Cyprus, without also benefitting the zone occupied from North (even if she does not recognize it like a State), and the fact that the United Kingdom takes part already in an important way in protection of the Republic of Cyprus in the monitoring of the buffer zone between the two parts of the territory. According to the Republic of Cyprus, the unpaid back rents would be assembled to several million euros.

When the borders of the two bases had been defined, the United Kingdom had avoided occupying of the zones of population, however civil territories were found wedged despite everything, although theoretically under administration of the Republic of Cyprus. Moreover, the layout of these borders encircled agricultural zones used by the inhabitants of the two communities. Important demonstrations took place in Cyprus (in particular including inhabitants and deprived of their grounds which has the zone occupied since the Turkish invasion flees) claiming the restitution with Cyprus and its full sovereignty on the military zones still occupied by the United Kingdom with Akrotiri and especially with Dhekelia in the Southern base, as well as the payment of the annual installments of delay not paid by the United Kingdom.

In 2002, the United Kingdom signed an agreement with the Republic of Cyprus to guarantee that it prohibits any exploitation other than military of the two bases, and to place the arable lands under the authority of the Republic of Cyprus. Moreover Cypriot laws, although not applying directly to Akrotiri and Dhekelia, are adapted in a way nearest possible except concerning existing sovereignty to the United Kingdom on these two zones where civil populations live. These laws, different from the British laws, apply largely to the military personnel like with the residents of British nationality.

These zones are also the only overseas territories British where the right to the full British citizenship does not apply automatically to its residents. The Cypriot populations living or working on British military bases preserve their Cypriot citizenship, and a broad right-of-way is granted to these populations wedged in the bases, in order to take advantage of their rights elsewhere in the Republic chyprote (however the crossing of military bases between the two parts of the Republic of Cyprus is now controlled in the same way that on the buffer zone under administration UNO, in order to avoid any inflitration and resumption of the conflict by armed groups of a camp or the other).

For legal reasons, these two zones, although under administration of the United Kingdom and although the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union (other than the Turkish zone of North not recognized and the buffer zone of UNO) do not form part of the European Union, bus of the difficulties exist concerning the attribution of authority of the territories of the two bases by one or the other republic, for lack of agreement which has occurred before the date of accession of Cyprus to the European Union between the two Cypriot parts.

Simple: Akrotiri and Dhekelia Zh-min-nan: Akrotiri kap Dhekelia