Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the retention of(a) sovereign bases and (b) troops at sovereign bases in Cyprus. [230401
§ Mr. SoamesI have been asked to reply.
Under the 1960 treaty concerning the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus—Cmnd. 1252—the United Kingdom retained two sovereign base areas at Akrotiri and Dhekelia for use solely as military bases. The bases and the associated garrisons provide facilities for strategic communications, including the major airfield at RAF Akrotiri, as well as hot weather training. We do not envisage any significant changes in the requirement for the sovereign base areas.