The National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, which represents over 300,000 British citizens of Cypriot descent, has called on the British government to dismiss Labour MP Afzal Khan from his role as the UK’s Special Trade Envoy to Turkey, following a controversial visit to the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus.
In a strongly worded letter to the UK government, the Federation described Mr Khan’s visit as a “flagrant violation of international legality” and a direct contradiction of long-standing UK policy on Cyprus.
According to the letter, Mr Khan entered the island via the illegal Tymbou (Ercan) airport, met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and was photographed alongside symbols of the unrecognised entity, which is acknowledged only by Turkey.
The Federation stressed that the manner of Mr Khan’s travel violates the UK’s obligations under the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. It further argued that the visit contradicts UN Security Council Resolutions 541 and 550, which explicitly call on member states not to recognise any entity in Cyprus other than the Republic of Cyprus.
The visit, the Federation warned, undermines the UK’s stated commitment to a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution with political equality. It added that the visit is already being used by the occupation regime as de facto evidence of recognition and justification for calls for direct trade, potentially weakening Nicosia’s diplomatic position.
Adding to the controversy, Mr Khan was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the unrecognised “Girne American University”, which lacks accreditation from Cypriot authorities and has been linked to human trafficking investigations. The institution was the subject of a detailed report by the Financial Times, which described it as a “migrant trap” for entry into Europe.
The Federation is demanding to know whether the UK’s Department for Business and Trade had prior knowledge or gave approval for Mr Khan’s visit. In the absence of such approval, it is calling for a public repudiation of his actions and insists that Mr Khan’s continued presence in his official role is “unthinkable”.
Furthermore, the Federation is urging the UK government to reaffirm its non-recognition policy towards the breakaway regime and ensure that government officials are held accountable for actions that contravene international law and the UK’s obligations under the Treaty of Guarantee.
Responding to a request from CNA, the British Foreign Office said the visit was made in a “personal capacity” and not in Mr Khan’s official role. “The government was not informed in advance of the visit,” it stated.
Source: CNA
Featured photo source: Parikiaki
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