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Turkish Discomfort with 'Republic of Cyprus' Map from Anadolu Agency

Published December 29, 2025, 13:12
Turkish Discomfort with 'Republic of Cyprus' Map from Anadolu Agency

The appearance of "Republic of Cyprus" on a map published by the Turkish state news agency Anadolu has sparked intense discussion in Turkish media. Turkey systematically avoids using this name since the 1974 invasion, preferring terms like "South Cyprus" or "Greek Cypriot Administration of South Cyprus". The incident occurred during coverage of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's flight to the United States. The use of the full name by Anadolu was seen by many in Turkey as an "unintentional retreat" reflecting Ankara's displeasure with regional alliances forming without its participation, such as the recent Israel-Greece-Cyprus trilateral summit. Although not an official policy change, the incident was enough to trigger strong reactions and discussions in Turkish media. The move was interpreted as a sign of Turkey's dissatisfaction with its regional isolation and the strengthening of relations between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus.