FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – British lawmaker Afzal Khan has resigned as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy to Turkey following criticism over his recent visit to Northern Cyprus, a territory not recognized by the British government.
Khan, who represents Manchester Rusholme in Parliament, traveled last week to north Cyprus.
During the trip, Khan met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar — a move condemned by the Cypriot government as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Khan told the BBC he funded the trip himself, saying he was visiting family and receiving an honorary degree from a local academic institution.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Khan said he believed 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.”