Outrage after UK posts truncated map of Cyprus

Ruling Disy on Monday said it expected the government to take the necessary steps after a British defence ministry video displayed a truncated map of Cyprus on a video without including the northern part, or the British bases.

The 32-second video, which has been withdrawn after an outcry, but not before some outlets managed to save and reproduce it, was trying to depict all of the countries that have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and those that didn’t.

Because the video is so short, it flashes only a map of the country and its flag. The Cyprus map is distorted without the Turkish-occupied north and with the chunks of the British bases missing. Blink and it would be easy to miss.

“The United Kingdom department of defence has posted on social media videos of countries condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, depicting Cyprus without our occupied territories and British bases,” Disy said.

“Despite the fact that this video has been removed, we are sure that our government will proceed with all the necessary actions,” the party added.

Other political parties also condemned the UK over the video.

Socialist Edek said the move by the British “is another confirmation of the suspicious and subversive role of Britain to the detriment of the Republic of Cyprus”.

“The Cypriot government’s tolerant attitude further breeds this subversive role,” it added.

Edek said the process of removing the British bases from Cyprus should proceed, as their presence is “illegal, unconstitutional and has no legitimacy”.

Some media in the north did not let it slide either and played up the fact that the ‘TRNC’ was excluded, deducing that the UK had finally officially recognised the reality in Cyprus.

Sigmalive had reproduced the video here:

https://youtu.be/oC3OqF7i18s