BRITAIN’S WORRIES OVER EU ‘INTERFERENCE’ IN CYPRUS BASES

BRITISH officials were concerned about possible “interference” by the European Union in its military operations at the British bases in Cyprus once the island joined the bloc, a letter from 2001 has revealed.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office private secretary Mark Sedwill penned a letter to 10 Downing Street adviser Michael Tatham, dated April 20, 2001, in which he writes of the need to “soon begin discussions with Cyprus, the [European] Commission and EU partners about the relationship between the UK Sovereign Bases Areas (SBAs) and the Republic of Cyprus, after Cyprus joins the EU”.

Stating that the SBAs are “UK sovereign territory”, Mr Sedwill notes how they have become “closely integrated with the surrounding Cypriot territory” and that “Cypriot communities have ‘split over’ into them and both SBAs contain commercial enterprises”.

He adds: “We need to find a solution which is negotiable with the Cypriots, the Commission and partners, but which limits extra costs on the SBAs and does not make the core military activities vulnerable to interference from e.g. the Commission or European Parliament.”

Mr Sedwill notes that “the Cypriots” would “probably prefer for us to opt for a simple inclusion of the SBAs in the European Union, arguing that those of their citizens living in the SBAs should enjoy the same benefits of EU membership as Cypriots living elsewhere on the island”.

He continues: “This will be a sensitive issue for the UK. We must avoid being seen to complicate the enlargement process or Cypriot accession over a minor issue of national interest.”