Cyprus has welcomed the resignation of the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey, Afzal Khan, after the Labour MP made an unauthorised visit to the breakaway Turkish-occupied north of the island. The Cypriot foreign ministry described the decision as an “important development” that sends a “resounding message” of zero tolerance for entities recognised only by Turkey.
Khan, the MP for Manchester Rusholme, had defended his 8 August trip in a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, stating it was conducted “in a personal capacity during the parliamentary recess”. However, amid widespread criticism and calls for his resignation, he acknowledged the furore and 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”.
The Cypriot foreign ministry labelled the visit “unacceptable and provocative”, noting that Khan met with the territory’s leader, Ersin Tatar. It added that the episode showed there must be “political consequences” for those who “foster, assist or tolerate” the occupied north. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a coup prompted a Turkish invasion that seized 37% of the island’s territory.
Ersin Tatar, who advocates a two-state solution, decried the pressure on Khan, calling it “a warning sign for all those who believe in democracy and equality”. Diaspora groups in the UK, including the National Federation of Cypriots in Britain, said the visit was “politically insensitive” as it coincided with the 51st anniversary of the invasion and ongoing UN reunification talks. Federation head Christos Karaolis said Khan’s actions “compromised the UK’s longstanding foreign policy on Cyprus and contravened international law”.
