HC Deb 16 January 1995 vol 252 cc373-4W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many retained sites in Cyprus were controlled by the United Kingdom under the London and Zurich agreements of 1960; how many of these retained sites have since been handed over to the control of the Cyprus Government; and at how many, and which, locations retained sites have been handed over to the Cyprus Government since the division of the island in 1974.

Mr. Soames

The treaty of establishment 1960 provided for 40 British retained sites in the Republic of Cyprus. They are listed in four schedules which form a part of that treaty, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Since then 25 complete sites and parts of six sites have been returned. Of these, eight complete sites and parts of one site have been handed back since 1974. These were as follows:

  1. a. at the port of Limassol;
  2. b. north-west of Zyyi (parts of);
  3. c. at Cape Greco;
  4. d. the water supply for the Cape Greco retained site;
  5. e. at Polemidhia;
  6. f. the water supply for the Polemidhia retained site;
  7. g. north of Zyyi;
  8. h. the water supply for the retained site north of Zyyi;
  9. i. near Paphos, about ¼ mile from the top of Cape Paphos.

Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many retained sites, and at which locations, remain in(a) southern Cyprus governed by the Cyprus Government and (b) northern Cyprus governed by the government of the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus.

Mr. Soames

A total of 15 British-retained sites remain in Cyprus, of which 11 are in the south of the island and four in the north. The sites are:

  1. a. (South)
    • at Troodos (two sites);
    • at Mount Olympus;
    • at Nicosia airfield.;
    • water supply for retained site at Nicosia airfield on the coast, about five miles south of Larnaca;
    • on the outskirts of Limassol;
    • water supply for the retained site on the outskirts of Limassol;
    • at Kissousa, including the water source and pipeline
    • to the Akrotiri sovereign base area;
    • at Limassol, in Paphos road.
  2. (b) (North)
    • at the port in Famagusta;
    • in Famagusta (three sites).

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