"Reports in the international press last week suggested that after discussions with NATO leaders, US President Donald Trump may be considering the establishment of American military bases in Greenland similar to those the United Kingdom has in Cyprus. These media reports brought renewed attention to a unique arrangement that has existed in Cyprus since 1960, when the country gained independence from the UK following decades of colonial rule and a four-year armed struggle."
"Although the declaration of independence on August 16, 1960, formally marked the end of British colonial rule, it did not lead to the UK's complete withdrawal from the island. On the contrary, the Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus included an explicit provision stating that "the territory of the Republic shall comprise the island of Cyprus () with the exception of two areas specified in an annex to the Treaty, which shall remain under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.""
Media reports about potential US bases in Greenland renewed attention to Cyprus's post-independence arrangements. Cyprus gained independence on 16 August 1960 after decades of colonial rule and a four-year armed struggle. The Treaty of Establishment preserved two areas under UK sovereignty rather than returning full control to the Republic. The Sovereign Base Areas, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, cover 254 square kilometers, roughly 3% of Cyprus. The UK was not obliged to pay for their use, though the treaty provided for a grant to the Republic of Cyprus. Cypriot archives show that the grant was paid only for five years and was suspended in 1965 due to changed circumstances following intercommunal violence.
Read at www.dw.com
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