ENCLAVES OF DHEKELIA AND ARKOTIRI-EPISKOPI

The Union Jack still flies in Cyprus. Here's the proof: more than sixty years after the island's independence, the British retain two small pieces of territory: the Sovereign Base Areas of Dhekelia and Arkotiri-Episkopi, still under London control. The army has remained, and with it street names (Suffolk Road, Agincourt Lane...), private golf courses, King Richard elementary school, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot policemen in English uniforms, pubs serving fish and chips... Welcome to British Cyprus!

History. The two Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) of Akrotiri-Epsiskopi and Dhekelia were created in 1960 when the Republic of Cyprus, until then a British colony, gained independence. London wished to retain military capabilities in the strategic Middle East (the 1956 Franco-British Suez operation was conducted from these two bases). Today, the USA has full access to military installations. In particular, they use the Akrotiri base for aerial reconnaissance missions in Syria and Iran. In 1974, during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the two SBAs served as a refuge for the Turkish and Greek populations, the belligerents having respected British sovereignty.

Territory. The British territories of Cyprus cover 254 ^km2 (less than 3% of the island's surface area): 123 km² for the Akrotiri SBA, near Limassol, and 131 ^km2 for the Dhekelia SBA, between Larnaka and Agia Napa, both with extensive access to the sea (108 km of coastline). Military land accounts for only 20% of the surface area, the rest being divided between British administration land (20%) and private property (60%), owned by both British and Cypriot citizens. The territory of the Dhekelia base borders the Turkish-occupied zone, in the continuity of the Green Line.

Enclaves. The borders of the two territories have been drawn in such a way as to exclude inhabited villages as far as possible. As a result, the Dhekelia SBA is highly fragmented. There are four Greek-Cypriot enclaves in the interior, with the inland villages of Ormidhia and Xylotymvou, and the Dhekelia power plant (part of the Cypriot national electricity company, EAC) on the coast, bisected by a British road. The Dhekelia SBA also includes the British enclave of Agios Nikolaos, which straddles the Green Line. Agios Nikolaos is linked to the rest of British territory by the protected Four Mile Crossing, which acts as a dividing line between the South and the North.

Administration. Both SBAs are under the authority of a British governor appointed by the Minister of Defense in London. The Governor combines military and civil, executive and legislative powers. He is assisted by British military and civilian advisors, and covers all areas, including defense, police, health, customs and taxation. However, some powers are delegated to officials of the Republic of Cyprus for matters concerning Cypriot citizens.

Population. Around 14,500 people live in Akrotiri and Dhekelia. These include 3,000 British civilian and military personnel. Some of these are regularly placed under the command of the UN forces responsible for guarding the demarcation line between the south and north of the country. In addition, there are 4,500 British civilians: civil servants and their families. There are also 7,000 Cypriot residents.

Law and police. Akrotiri and Dhekelia have their own legislation. These are designed to be as close as possible to the laws in force in the Republic of Cyprus, but with, of course, a British influence. Cyprus is the only British territory where the euro is the official currency. There are several types of court, headed by British magistrates, for adjudicating offences. And a special force, the SBA Police, is responsible for enforcing the law. Despite the absence of border crossings, security measures inside the SBAs are quite strict, with signs prohibiting photography and random vehicle checks, for example. The aim is to prevent anti-colonial demonstrations organized regularly by groups of Greek Cypriots.

Military installations. The two SBAs include the headquarters at Episkopi (with an army battalion and personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force), a Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri (the only British air force base in the Mediterranean), the RAF listening and intelligence center at Agios Nikolaos and the army base at Dhekelia (infantry and engineers). The British Army also retains fifteen "annexes" on Greek Cypriot territory: radars at Mount Olympus and Cape Greko, transmission masts at Zigi (between Limassol and Larnaka) and the Troodos listening station on the summit of Mount Olympus, where some twenty military personnel are permanently stationed and where base personnel come for a breath of fresh air in summer.