The Cyprus foreign ministry on Saturday welcomed the resignation of the UK trade envoy to Turkey Afzal Khan after his recent visit to unrecognised northern Cyprus, saying it sent a strong message that there was “no room for tolerance”.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the BBC reported that Khan had announced his resignation to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying that he felt 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”.

Khan is also an MP for Manchester Rusholme.

“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,” Cyprus foreign ministry said on Saturday.

During his visit to the north on August 8, Khan met with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and had his photograph taken with gifts bearing the flag of the north, sparking widespread criticism in Cyprus and the UK.

The ministry emphasised that Khan’s meeting with Tatar constituted an “unacceptable and provocative action”, stressing that said the visit demanded a coordinated response and clear condemnation not only from the ministry but also from political actors in Cyprus and the UK.

“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 ministry said.

Speaking to the BBC, Khan said that he had paid for the trip himself and was visiting his nephew, alongside receiving an honorary degree from an academic institution.

Khan was adamant that his visit had been “in a personal capacity during the parliamentary recess” and had “no relation” to his role as a trade envoy, claiming that other 20 British parliamentarians had in the past paid visits to the north without facing similar criticism.

Tatar was quick to condemn Khan’s resignation, saying the pressure on the British MP signals “a new reflection of a tyrannical Greek Cypriot mentality” and was “a warning sign for all those who believe in democracy and equality”.

Tatar said that the Greek Cypriots have years sought to isolate the Turkish Cypriot people from the international community and silence their voices.

“This is the mentality we are facing and those who are thinking of resolving the Cyprus problem by handing over the future of our people to the Greek Cypriots still do not understand the seriousness of the situation,” he added.

The UK’s shadow foreign minister Wendy Morton welcomed the resignation, however adding that Starmer should have sacked Khan sooner.

Christos Karaolis, president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, said that Khan’s position “was clearly untenable following his deeply inappropriate and unacceptable visit to occupied northern Cyprus”.