A recent conference organized by the Cyprus Bar Association highlighted ongoing legal disputes regarding the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus. Established under the 1960 treaty, these areas involve complex questions of whether Britain holds full state sovereignty or merely a unique military-purpose sovereignty. While the 1991 Supreme Court of Cyprus ruling suggested the latter, the 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the Chagos Islands has reignited debates. That ruling established that colonial powers cannot unilaterally carve out territory before granting independence without genuine consent from the population. Consequently, legal experts are questioning if the 1960 independence arrangements violated the principle of self-determination. The core issue remains whether Archbishop Makarios could lawfully exchange Cypriot sovereignty for British military bases, a matter that may require a formal advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice.