The Republic of Cyprus’ foreign ministry on Saturday welcomed the resignation of the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey, Afzal Khan, after the latter visited the Turkish-occupied areas of the island and was prominently received by the pseudo-state’s “president”.
In an announcement, Nicosia said the resignation of Azfal Khan, a MP for the Manchester Rusholme constituency, sends a strong message that there was “no room for tolerance”.
The BBC on Saturday morning first reported that the Pakistan-born Khan had announced his decision to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying, among others, that 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 subsequent resignation of the said MP… is a significant development, which at this juncture is even more important, as it sends a resounding message that there is no room for tolerance, nor a case for our subdued reaction,” the foreign ministry of the internationally recognized and EU member-state Republic of Cyprus announced a few hours later.
During his visit to occupied Nicosia on Aug. 8 Khan was received by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in the latter’s office, with several photographs taken of both men showing them standing and sitting before the pseudo-state’s flag and insignia.
“It is clear …that there must and may be political consequences in relation to the subordinate formation [of the north], especially regarding those who foster, assist or tolerate it,” the Cypriot ministry said.
In reply, an embattled Khan said he had paid for the trip himself and was visiting his nephew, in tandem with receiving an honorary degree from an unrecognized academic institution in the occupied areas.
Taking to his “official” page, Tatar condemned the turn of events, claiming that the pressure on the Labour MP was “a new reflection of a tyrannical Greek Cypriot mentality” and was “a warning sign for all those who believe in democracy and equality”.
On the opposing side of the aisle in the UK Parliament, Tory shadow foreign minister Wendy Morton welcomed the resignation, while adding that Starmer should have sacked Khan sooner.
Christos Karaolis, the president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom, said Khan’s position “was clearly untenable following his deeply inappropriate and unacceptable visit to occupied northern Cyprus”.
