UK trade envoy resigns after backlash over Turkish Cyprus visit

LONDON

Labour MP Afzal Khan of the U.K. has resigned from his role as London’s trade envoy to Türkiye following the backlash and criticism after his visit to Turkish Cyprus.

Since his visit to Turkish Cyprus on Aug. 8 and meeting with President Ersin Tatar, Khan had faced intense criticism from both Greek Cyprus and certain political circles in the U.K.

On the ethnically- divided island, Greek Cyprus, is internationally recognized, while Turkish Cyprus is recognized only by Ankara.

Amid the controversy, Khan told the BBC that he financed the trip himself, which included visiting his nephew and receiving an honorary degree from an academic institution.

In a letter to the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Khan said he felt it was "best to stand down at this time so not to distract from the hard work the government is doing to secure the best possible trade deals for this country.”

He stressed, however, that his trip had been undertaken “in a personal capacity during the parliamentary recess” and was “entirely separate” from his official duties as a trade envoy.

Khan also pointed out that around 20 British parliamentarians previously visited Turkish Cyprus without encountering similar criticism.

U.K. Shadow Foreign Minister Wendy Morton welcomed Khan’s resignation but argued that Starmer should have dismissed him earlier.

The Greek Cypriot side expressed satisfaction over Khan’s resignation, describing it as “a significant development of even greater importance at this particular time.”

On the other hand, the Turkish Cypriot president slams Khan’s forced resignation, stating that the pressure he faced reflects “the primitive and domineering mindset of the Greek Cypriot side.”

He added, “For an elected MP to be compelled to resign from the U.K.’s trade envoy position merely for engaging with the Turkish Cypriot community is a cautionary tale for anyone who believes in democracy and equality.”