Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
22 July 2019•Update: 22 July 2019
LONDON
Britain’s Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan resigned from his post on Monday.
Duncan’s resignation came a day ahead of the expected win of Boris Johnson as the new leader of the Conservative Party to replace Theresa May.
His resignation is considered as one of many other resignations, in the wake of Johnson becoming the U.K.'s next prime minister.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has also announced his intention to resign.
The result of the Conservative Party leadership contest will be announced on Tuesday. The final deadline for party members to vote will end on Monday evening.
Duncan, who was looking after European and American affairs, served as a senior minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, under outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May since July 2016.
“It is customary for all ministers to stand down on the departure of a prime minister,” Duncan said in his resignation letter to May, adding that he is doing it a couple of days earlier "in anticipation of the change on Wednesday".
Detailing his work during his term as a minister, Duncan said he was “pleased to build a strong relationship with Turkey in the immediate aftermath of the coup attempt.”
He was the first European politician to visit Turkey, following the bloody defeated coup attempt in 2016.
In his resignation, Duncan also expressed his regret that efforts on securing an agreement on the future of Cyprus have failed.
