[3] In March of the following year British Forces Near East was created, the command of which was then held concurrently with that of the post of Administrator.

It would be very difficult to relocate these forces and their training facilities to a base in a CENTO member state since an agreement would have to be negotiated.

The most recent sites to be returned were the Berengaria Married Quarters in 2011, because they had become obsolete and the firing range on the Akamas peninsula in 1999-2001.

Consequently, the Chief of Staff British Forces Cyprus (COS) is a one-star appointment from the opposite service of the commander.

In addition to the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, 1960 Treaty of Establishment between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus granted the UK the right to permanently make use of 40 further sites on the island for military purposes.

[113] The enclaves serve as centres for regional communications monitoring from the eastern Mediterranean through the Middle East to Iran.

[121] Headquarters of the Eastern Sovereign Base Area, a resident infantry battalion, an engineer squadron, and various logistic units, as well as UK-based civilians and dependents.