Latest news with #NorthernCyprus
Sky News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
UK's trade envoy to Turkey resigns following visit to Northern Cyprus
The UK's trade envoy to Turkey, Afzal Khan, has resigned following a trip last week to Northern Cyprus. It is a territory not recognised by the British government as a self-declared independent nation since Turkey's military invasion of the island in 1974. The MP for Manchester Rusholme was forced to quit just days after Sky News revealed the outrage from the Cypriot government, who called Mr Khan's actions "absolutely condemnable", insisting "the relevant representations have been made to him for his unacceptable behaviour". The spokesperson went on to say Mr Khan's actions "are in complete contradiction with the established position of all British governments". The Foreign Office said in a statement this week that Khan's visit "was undertaken in a personal capacity", adding: "There is no change to the government's long-standing position regarding the so-called 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'." On Friday, a UK government spokesperson said: "Mr Khan has left his position as trade envoy to the Republic of Turkey." The Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, initially said Mr Khan was invited at his request after meeting him in Manchester a few months ago. A video published by the newspaper showed Mr Khan posing for photos in Mr Tatar's office and receiving gifts. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the only university in Northern Cyprus on Monday. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel had called for his resignation, and shadow foreign affairs minister Wendy Morton had also written to Europe minister Stephen Doughty to express "deep concern" at Mr Khan's visit. Ms Morton noted that he travelled via Tymbou airport (locally known as Ercan International Airport), to which the British government prevents direct flights. The Cypriot government considers the use of the airport to enter or exit the island illegal. The president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, which represents the more than 30,000 Cypriots in Britain, told Sky News: "We welcome Afzhal Khan's resignation as the UK Trade Envoy to Turkey. His position was clearly untenable following his deeply inappropriate and unacceptable visit to occupied northern Cyprus. "The UK has a special role in Cyprus as a guarantor power and permanent member of the UN Security Council. Mr Khan's condemnable actions compromised UK foreign policy, undermined the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and contravened international law. "We are very grateful to the Parliamentarians and media who stood with our UK Cypriot community and raised this issue." In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shared with Sky News on Friday, Mr Khan wrote: "This travel was unrelated to my role as trade envoy, however I understand the circumstances have generated controversy. It is my belief that trust in Parliament is paramount. Due to the attention this matter has drawn, I feel it is best to step down at this time, as to not distract from the hard work this Labour government is doing to secure the best possible trade deals and international relationships for our country."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Pressure is building on Sir Keir Starmer to sack his trade envoy to Turkey over trip to northern Cyprus
Pressure was last night coming from within Labour for Keir Starmer to sack his trade envoy to Turkey over an unauthorised trip. Afzal Khan is back in the UK after a trip to the self-declared Turkish republic of northern Cyprus - a territory the UK, and most of the rest of the world, does not recognise. During his trip, the MP for Manchester Rusholme met Ersin Tatar, the leader of Turkish Cypriots, in his official residence. He posed for a photo with the leader, giving a suggestion of a bilateral meeting as opposed to a personal visit. After days of questions being asked by others, the Daily Mail understands the matter is being raised internally within Labour, with a sense of unhappiness as to how it has been allowed to escalate into a diplomatic spat and demands that No 10 act. Labour MPs are also believed to have raised the matter with ministers to channel the fury of Greek Cypriots over the trip. The official government of Cyprus said the visit last week was 'absolutely condemnable and unacceptable' and that UK officials should 'respect' their state. It also provoked an outcry from Greek Cypriots who have called for his dismissal over a breach of UN resolutions that forbid recognition of the territory's government. Mr Khan was due to receive a degree from a local university, but no announcement has been made, suggesting he may have been recalled by the UK Government or a news blackout was imposed, given the controversy. The trip is said to have been a 'personal' visit and ministers were not aware of the plans, raising further questions about whether he can remain in his job. Tory MP Sir Roger Gale, the honorary president of the all-party parliamentary group for Cyprus, said Sir Keir should sack Mr Khan. 'The UK has a responsibility as a guarantor power to Cyprus,' he added. 'His position as trade envoy is untenable.' Shadow foreign affairs minister Wendy Morton has written to ministers calling for the envoy to be removed from his role. 'This visit risks undermining the UK's credibility as a guarantor power and as an impartial interlocutor in settlement negotiations,' she said. Mr Tatar waded into the row this week by criticising the 'intolerant statements and excessive attacks made by the Greek Cypriot side'. A hardline nationalist who is close to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he added that the visit was undertaken 'at my invitation'. Mr Tatar told Mr Khan he wanted to pursue a 'two-state solution' despite no international recognition of the seized territory, it was reported. Mr Khan replied that his friends of Cypriot origin living in Manchester had encouraged him to visit the island, adding: 'That is why I am happy to be here.' A government spokesman said last night the visit was 'undertaken in a personal capacity' and there was no change to the UK's long-standing position on the seized territory.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
UK's trade envoy to Turkey faces calls to resign after he visited Northern Cyprus
The UK's trade envoy to Turkey is facing calls to resign after he visited Northern Cyprus – despite the British Government not recognising the territory. Afzal Khan arrived in the Turkish-controlled area last week 'for a series of official engagements', a local newspaper reported. As part of his visit, he will be awarded an honorary doctorate from a university tomorrow. However, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent nation following Turkey's military invasion of the island in 1974. Greek Cypriots regard it as a rogue state and have called for the Turkish troops stationed there to leave. Mr Khan's visit was met with protests by the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK which represents more than 300,000 British citizens of Cypriot origin. It sent a letter to the UK Government questioning the envoy's visit to the 'Turkish-occupied' areas of Cyprus and accusing Mr Khan, the Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, of breaking several international agreements. Describing the visit as a 'blatant violation' of international law and longstanding UK policy, the group called for his dismissal from the role. It said he had met the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, a hardline nationalist who is close to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's authoritarian leader. Mr Tatar told Mr Khan that he wanted to pursue a 'two-state solution' despite no international recognition of the seized territory, the Cyprus Mail newspaper reported. Mr Khan replied that his friends of Cypriot origin living in Manchester had encouraged him to visit the island, adding: 'That is why I am happy to be here.' But Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: 'This visit undermines the UK's credibility as a guarantor country and as an impartial interlocutor in settlement negotiations. 'It also sends a worrying signal to UK citizens of Cypriot heritage, many of whom were displaced from the very areas that Mr Khan visited. 'Labour's record on foreign affairs shames Britain and this is another example of their diplomatic failures – this time with legal and ethical implications of this visit. 'Mr Khan should resign, the Government must restate Britain's long-standing position on Cyprus and they should tell us if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, or any other department of HM Government, was aware of or approved Mr Khan's visit in advance and whether any official advice was sought or given before it took place.' The Foreign Office told the Cyprus News Agency that the visit was made in a personal capacity and not in Mr Khan's role as trade envoy and that the Government had not been informed in advance.
