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    Cypriot president demands talks with UK over military bases – branding them ‘colonial consequences’
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    Cypriot president demands talks with UK over military bases – branding them ‘colonial consequences’


    Cypriot president demands talks with UK over military bases – branding them ‘colonial consequences’

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cyprus-uk-air-bases-iran-war-raf-akrotiri-b2941686.html

    Posted by PjeterPannos

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    34 Comments

    2. No-Risk-2584 on

      Personally, I don’t care either way.

      Our whole Cyprus military foothold costs us between 200-300m every year and is used to pull us into American bullshit in the Middle East.

      Obviously, there’s a lot of strategic benefits to the bases but if Cyprus wants the land back then so be it make a deal.

      But I don’t think the UK government would ever let it go though – and I don’t think the Cypriot government wants them to either – this just sounds like posturing to demand better defence of the bases and surrounding area.

      I’d also reckon allied countries like France that use the bases for their own operations will have an issue with it too.

    3. Kenye_Kratz on

      It’s British Sovereign territory, so this will go nowhere. It’s worth noting the deep influence Russia has in Cyprus when reading these public outbursts about the bases.

    5. Gentle_Snail on

      Ignoring that the bases are legally sovereign British territory for a second, there is just no way Labour can politically hand them over after the Chagos debacle, and no other UK mainstream party would ever agree to do so.

    9. Carterman on

      Can’t wait to pay Cyprus for the privilege of giving them the land back 🙄

      Lord Hermer will be struggling to control himself

    10. 4nhedone on

      Today I learnt that Akrotiri and Dhekelia are not in the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories

      EDIT: also, does the UK really value these territories? We are already not in the old colonial administration regime, there are more subtle ways to obtain similar benefits without the social, political and economic cost

    11. Ok-Chapter-2071 on

      Good luck trying to get Brits to renounce their colonial remnants. Just look at the British Museum.

    12. conrat4567 on

      As soon as we leave, turkey will start the claim on the rest of the island. Akrotiri and Dhekelia act as support for the UN border between the Cypriot and Turkish sides of the island, with those bases gone, the UN mission would wind down and it allow turkey to start influencing the Cypriot side, whether militarily or politically.

      The Cypriot president is only acting like this because ONE drone, not from Iran, hit the base there. ONE drone. They are using it as a political tool for the next election. It’s nothing to do with colonialism. They benefit from the bases. Greece isn’t coming for them, they can’t afford to monetarily

    13. Bacon___Wizard on

      This shite has been spread all over Reddit over the past few hours in the most blatant propaganda campaign to try and strain relations between the UK and Europe. Fuck off for spreading this, I have no intent on debating this with people who have ulterior motives.

    14. hype_irion on

      Even if the UK wanted to hand the land back, the US probably wouldn’t let them. Too important strategically.

    15. bukowsky01 on

      I have to say reopening Cyprus issues because of Iranian strikes was definitely not on my bingo card for the year.

      If Cyprus insists, this will be poisoning UK-EU relations for a while. From an UK POV having to give those away would be politically explosive, but from a legal perspective, there’s no contest. The fact that the bases were split off as independence was granted before the international law changed is irrelevant as precedent shows, the locals are Chypriots, this is not the Falklands or Gibraltar where the population chooses unequivocally.

      The fact that they are British sovereign territory doesn’t matter either, so was Algeria for France and countless other places.

      This will be played to the fullest by enemies and definitely has nasty potential.

    18. House_Of_Thoth on

      No mention of Turkey then, you know – literally militarily occupying half the island

    19. mancunian101 on

      If Cyprus reallly want it then let them have it.

      Russia will love it as it will destabilise the UK-EU relationship and weaken the UKs presence in the Mediterranean.

      I wonder what the effect would be on the Cypriot economy, I’m sure the bases provide a lot of work for people in the local area, and also provides a sizeable chunk of people who will be out spending money for n the local area etc.

      I think this is just noise, he’s latched onto something and is using it to get some publicity, which will keep the people who want the UK out happy while at the same time knowing it’s unlikely to go anywhere.

      I suspect that the reason this is getting pushed so much is Russian bots

    20. Mik3y_uk on

      I find him to be quite unfair. He has said publicly, thank you to France, Greece, Netherlands etc for protecting Cyprus. But no thank you to the RAF that have been protecting Cyprus and destroying Iranian drones.

    21. Greater_good_penguin on

      It wouldn’t surprise me if they were emboldened by the Chagos affair. A vulnerability of that deal is that lowers the bar to ceding territory, even when it has important strategic use. The British government ought to secure our overseas possessions. Perhaps they could learn a thing or two from France.

    22. NoRecipe3350 on

      The UK has had bases on Cyprus since Independence over half a century ago. All through my lifetime barely a sound from Cypriots about wanting them gone. And now in the past few weeks out come many Cypriot voices all of suddden? because of one drone from Hezbolla which failed to kill anyone and didn’t land in a civilian area?

      Basically, I think there is some kind of orchestrated/astroturfing campaign by a foreign actor to amplify ‘get the Brits out of Cyprus’

      I would guess it’s Russians. Also Cyprus has a large Russian community for decades, and no doubt some Russian intelligence operatives have snuck in

    24. HotPotatoWithCheese on

      My uncle was born in Cyprus when the Turks invaded in 1974. My grandfather was stationed over there, and he’d tell us about how nice the Cypriots were. They were certainly happy to have the Brits around back then when they needed help.

      Yes, Cyprus was given to us by the Ottomans because they wanted our help in the Russo-Turkish War. However, those bases are maintained in the 21st century for numerous reasons. You’ll come across few Brits that still have the appetite for wars in the Middle East, but Akrotiri and Dhekelia have been used to gather intelligence of Russian activity, and also allow for emergency humanitarian efforts in the region. It’s not all about dropping bombs on people, as we are currently showing by refusing to take part in illegal offensive operations against Iran.

      Let it also be known that there are many Russian loyalists in Cyprus, and they have been attempting to exert their influence over the country. British presence on the island serves as a counterweight, but if the EU would rather have another Hungary in the Mediterranean then so be it…

      At the end of the day, I don’t think the average Brit back home would lose much sleep if we abandoned those bases, but I’d be concerned if I were living on the island and had no allegiance to Russia or Iran.

    25. AkaAtarion on

      Yeah good luck with that, these bases are the only reason Cyrus isn’t fully part of Turkey.

    26. Longjumping_Ad_4332 on

      How come no one in this thread is blaming Iran for the actual strike? So much blame going around other than the actual country causing the problems.

    29. savi0r14 on

      Well it is colonial consequence for sure.

      You cant argue against that.

      Also people talking about protection, theres not a single incident past 50 years that English protected Cyprus in any way.

      Even in 1974 England was one of the guarantors during the invasion and did nothing.

      Also some people here say there are many russians in Cyprus and this has something to do with everything….

      Well guess what, theres around 80k British in Cyprus and around 50k russians.

      Theres only one reality. England has the bases in Cyprus for strategic advantage in that area.

      Whoever tries to argue differently that they are somehow the protectors or care about the wellbeing of Cypriots (greeks or turkish) is beyond delusional.

      Having said everything i think theres 0% chance they will move their bases but atleast save us with the sweet talk

    31. Status_Initiative_11 on

      In the spirit of anti colonialism will Spain be withdrawing from Ceuta and Melilla? France from  French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia?

      If they do want to make it an issue, I suppose we can recognize Northern Cyprus, which will secure Dhekélia at least.

    32. snowfalling777 on

      British being British as pro-colonialism triggered by US unprovoked attacks on Iran, but blame everyone pointing it out as Russian bots – another imperialist power 🤣 Imperialism war at its finest.