Doc. 10441

27 January 2005

The situation of the inhabitants of the Sovereign British Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Pourgourides and others

1.       The Assembly recalls the overriding importance it attaches to the effective enjoyment, by all inhabitants of the Council of Europe’s member states, of the human rights and fundamental freedoms safeguarded by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights (ECHR).

2.       The Assembly notes that following the independence of Cyprus in 1960, the Government of the United Kingdom has retained control over an area of about 150 square kilometers that is being used as military bases and that is inhabited by several thousand permanent residents (both Greek and Turkish Cypriots).

3.       The inhabitants of the Sovereign British Areas face many serious restrictions concerning their property rights, including the right to establish business etc. Moreover, they face health risks due to the use of military equipment and aircraft operations.

4.       The Assembly finds it unacceptable that these Cypriots – despite the British declaration in March 2004 giving them the right to bring cases to the European Court of Human Rights – do still not enjoy in actual fact the rights safeguarded by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and its protocols, and by other international conventions.

5.       It considers the restrictions still in place dating back to British colonial rule of Cyprus as out of date and contradictory to the values shared by all the Council of Europe’s member states, including the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus.

6.       It therefore calls upon the Council of Europe, its member states, and in particular the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus, to ensure that the inhabitants of the Sovereign British Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia be granted the same rights and protections as other inhabitants of Cyprus, or of any other member state of the Council of Europe.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

POURGOURIDES, Christos, Cyprus, EPP/CD

BERISHA, Sali, Albania, EPP/CD

BINDIG, Rudolf, Germany, SOC

GROSS, Andreas, Switzerland, SOC

JURGENS, Erik, Netherlands, SOC

KOVAĆIĆ, Dimitrij, Slovenia, EPP/CD

MARTY, Dick, Switzerland, LDR

PAPADIMITRIOU, Elsa, Greece, EPP/CD

PRIJMIREANU, Dumitru, Moldova, UEL

RANDEGGER, Johannes, Switzerland, LDR

TOSHEV, Latchezar, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group