Decolonizing Cyprus 60 Years after Independence: An Assessment of the Legality of the Sovereign Base Areas

Abstract

The Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) are two parts on the island of Cyprus, with a combined territory of 99 square miles, over which the United Kingdom exercises sovereignty. They were created by the Treaty of Establishment 1960, which is also the international agreement that granted the Republic of Cyprus its independence. This article maps out the implications of the Chagos Archipelago advisory opinion for the SBA. It argues that the process through which they were created disregarded the wishes of the Cypriot people and, therefore, was not in accordance with the right to self-determination.