I don't see this happening anytime soon.

[KPax]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/city-of-dreams-plan-puts-raf-akrotiri-at-risk-pwqqjc8rq?fbclid=IwAR1uzXyM4kZDu6PjrvOyYr1GrOqhXQAr2rPm6b0-QPOf-IgI51EcdVQCpeA

[Hawk98]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but the SBA is exactly that, Sovereign, so surely the Cypriots can’t force closure as it could only be closed by HMG? (Which lets be honest is very unlikely)

Apologies if that’s addressed in the article but I’m not subscribed so can’t read the whole thing!

[ORAC]

There were communist mayors of Limassol spouting exactly the same line back in the late 1970/80s.

[Ken Scott]

Closing Akrotiri would cripple the local economy, the Kebab restaurants & Kokonelli producers would all go bust.....!

[Imagegear]

Now let me think who owns most of Cyprus? and would benefit strategically. (it isn't the UK).

IG

[chevvron]

How can they develop land up to the airfield boundary, it's salt lake?

[AndoniP]

Now let me think who owns most of Cyprus? and would benefit strategically. (it isn't the UK).

IG

Is this a trick question?

chevvron - are you sure you're not looking at Larnaca airport? Take a look at google maps.

[Imagegear]

It is well known that Russians have acquired a significant stake in Cyprus, and a major portion of that property development is in "Limassolgrad".



It is Russians who are flocking to Limassol, snapping up properties along the island’s southern coast. Many are “buy to leave” investors, with most of the villas around the marina left empty by owners who prefer to live elsewhere.

Plans are afoot to construct another six marinas along Cyprus’s southern shore, to the consternation of environmentalists. Like the Limassol marina all are private schemes on leased government land, aimed at luring the super yacht crowd and changing the former British colony’s image.

Limassolgrad (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/17/welcome-to-limassolgrad-the-city-getting-rich-on-russian-money)

IG

[Runaway Gun]

If Akrotiri is such an important staging post, then why were troops often flown out of there, for a Brize overnight, before flying into theatre the next morning?
Oh yes, to avoid Akrotiri being seen as an important staging post.

[sharpend]

Don't be too sure this would not happen. We did not have to give Hong Kong island to China. We did so as it would have been rather difficult to operate having given the New Territories etc back to China under previous agreements. The same could happen with Akrotiri, if the Cypriots made it very difficult for the UK. I doubt if that would happen as previously stated, the local economy would suffer. But don't underestimate Putin.

[Hawk98]

Akrotiri is one of the busiest RAF bases and there’s about 3,500 personnel in Cyprus in total, so yes, it would undoubtedly have an impact on the local economy. Where do you think they all go in the evenings/weekends?🤔

[Imagegear]

Well I reckon the take-up from several thousand Russian troops knocking about would ensure that any economic impact would be minimal. Not to mention that the shear volume of "under-the-radar" investment would firmly cement the "arrangement".

Bearing in mind that the other side of the green line are now firmly in the Russian sphere

"Monaco" of the Eastern Med indeed.

IG

[gijoe]

Well I reckon the take-up from several thousand Russian troops knocking about would ensure that any economic impact would be minimal. Not to mention that the shear volume of "under-the-radar" investment would firmly cement the "arrangement".

Bearing in mind that the other side of the blue line are now firmly in the Russian sphere

"Monaco" of the Eastern Med indeed.

IG

Green Line...named after the colour of the ink that penned it in the 60s.

Manned by blue hats.

[Geordie_Expat]

If it wasn't for the SBA's, the island would have become Turkish in 74/75.They were the main reason the invasion stopped where it did.

Short (or selective) memory.

[chevvron]

Is this a trick question?

chevvron - are you sure you're not looking at Larnaca airport? Take a look at google maps.
I stayed there for 10 days (and no doubt there are others on here who stayed far longer lucky buggers) in 1986 and can assure you there is a thin strip of land (an environmental conservation area) then a large lake (Limassol Salt Lake) just north of Akrotiri (unless they've drained it).

[Union Jack]

If it wasn't for the SBA's, the island would have become Turkish in 74/75.They were the main reason the invasion stopped where it did.

Short (or selective) memory.

Here's some more background to some of the events that occurred off the north coast of Cyprus, particularly Kyrenia, in July 1974, for those with a "Short (or selective) memory":

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11673968/Captain-Tony-Hutton-obituary.html

https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/captain-ian-mckechnie-1-649163

http://www.pensbyandrew.co.uk/resources/Simmo%20Cyprus%20Extract.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiz2vvJ9C0

The third link is particularly interesting, noting that is an account by a young communications rating of what he experienced, not least since it describes how Captain (later Vice Admiral) Bob Gerken, in command of the LEANDER Class frigate ANDROMEDA, followed the notable example of Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen when the latter "turned a blind eye" to the order to withdraw, allegedly with the words "I really do not see the signal" . Ignoring the signal to withdraw, ANDROMEDA pressed on inshore, anchored, and started the extraction of the British holidaymakers. The video link actually shows scenes of the evacuation, with ANDROMEDA very close inshore and, although it's not recorded in LRO Simmons's account, Bob Gerken apparently went ashore in ceremonial white uniform and strolled down the jetty at Kyrenia, calmly and authoritatively compelling the Turkish forces to clear out of his way with his silver-headed Malacca cane!

Incidentally, Bob Gerken had only assumed command of ANDROMEDA in Malta less than a week earlier, and the ship was leaving Grand Harbour bound for refit at Portsmouth when the order was received to turn to right for Cyprus rather than left for Pompey!

Jack

PS I like the joke about he well-earned CBE being shared with the ship's company - we always said that CBE stood for the "Crew's Bloody Efforts"!

[Herod]

Neither a short nor a selective memory, having been part of the RAF Akrotiri to Lyneham leg of the repatriation. I still think that if Britain had intervened, as requested, the whole thing could have been avoided.

[andrewn]

Couple of points on this:

Local dignataries have a habit of making pronouncements such as this, they're mainly for internal consumption, plus he's probably coming up for re-election or something and a dig at the SBA is an easy win.
The Cypriot tourism industry is booming right now, after a good few years in the doldrums, which means the developer lobby will be back out in force. They are very powerful and influential and will no be agitiating for a land grab from the SBA.

Neither of the above are anything new, as the OP says I wouldn expect much will come of it.