British Labour lawmaker Afzal Khan stepped down as U.K.’s trade envoy to Turkey amid criticism targeting his recent visit to self-declared republic of northern Cyprus.
The U.K., like most countries in the world, does not recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
During his visit, Khan met with Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, which several British politicians, as well as the Cypriot government, slammed as “unacceptable.”
“The recent illegal visit of British MP Afzal Khan to the areas of the Republic of Cyprus occupied by Türkiye, as well as his meeting with Mr. Ersin Tatar, were unacceptable and provocative actions,” the Cypriot foreign ministry said in a post on X.
“The subsequent resignation of the MP from his position as Trade Envoy for Türkiye is an important development, which at this particular time has an even greater significance,” added the ministry.
Khan in a letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted that his visit was purely personal, and not in a role of a trade envoy, but felt that it was best to stand aside to avoid jeopardizing ongoing trade negotiations.
British Shadow Foreign Minister Wendy Morton said Starmer should have sacked Khan earlier but lacked courage to do so.
Northern Cyprus is a self-declared republic in the northern part of the island only recognized by Turkey. Cyprus was split between a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot north after Turkey’s 1974 invasion.