Why is Cyprus important to the UK?
Britain promised to use Cyprus as a base to protect the Ottoman Empire from Russia, according to the secret Cyprus Convention agreement. The island served Britain as a key military base protecting the Suez Canal and especially the sea route to British India, which was then Britain’s most important overseas possession.
Is Cyprus still a British colony?
British Cyprus was the island of Cyprus under the dominion of the British Empire, administered sequentially from 1878 to 1914 as a British protectorate, a unilaterally annexed military occupation from 1914 to 1925 and from 1925 to 1960 as a Crown colony.
What is the UK involvement in Cyprus?
The British Forces Cyprus (BFC) is the name coined to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK Sovereign Bases on the island. According to the Ministry of Defence, ‘the British Army in Cyprus works to a tri-service headquarters and is tasked with protecting the SBAs and associated retained sites’.
Are UK and Cyprus allies?
Cyprus has a strong bilateral relationship with the UK, reflecting the two countries’ long historical ties, which date back to the 19th century. Today, the two countries maintain close links in the political, economic and cultural fields.
Why are British troops in Cyprus?
The United Kingdom retains a military presence on the island in order to keep a strategic location at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, for use as a staging point for forces sent to locations in the Middle East and Asia. BFC is a tri-service command, with all three services based on the island reporting to it.
Why did Britain go to war with Cyprus in 1974?
Fears of Soviet influence in Cyprus partly explain why Britain went for sovereign territories in the first place, rather than negotiating a deal for just bases. ‘They didn’t trust the Cypriots,’ Mallinson says.
What is it like to live in Cyprus?
Overall, Cypriots are extremely hospitable. It is considered polite to accept at least a little of what is being offered to you even if you do not want it. This applies most often to food and drink. Cypriots speak more loudly and with more hand and facial gestures than western Europeans.
When did Cyprus gain independence from the British?
Cyprus became a British protectorate in 1912; by 1922, it was a crown colony. It gained independence in 1960, on the proviso that Britain maintained its military territories. Today, the two UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) occupy nearly three per cent of Cyprus.
What is the Cyprus dispute?
The Cyprus dispute, also known as the Cyprus conflict, Cyprus issue, or Cyprus problem, is an ongoing dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.