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The Turkish Consul-General in New York, Reyhan Özgür, is facing criticism after sending a letter opposing a resolution about Turkey's invasion of Cyprus.
According to a report on The National Herald, the letter, sent to the New York Legislature’s Senate Finance Committee, has caused a lot of discussion.
One big issue is that neither the Turkish Consulate nor Özgür himself registered for lobbying activity, as required by law for spending over $5,000. This has made lawmakers question how transparent the Consulate's actions are.
In the letter, Özgür disagrees with how the resolution talks about Turkey's invasion of Cyprus. He's worried it might upset Turkish Americans if the resolution passes.
But Senator Michael Gianaris, who wrote the resolution, says it's accurate and important. He thinks it's essential for the state to acknowledge historical events correctly.
Despite Özgür's letter, the resolution passed through the Senate with little debate.
This situation also brings attention to the Consulate's connection to an investigation involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Federal officials are looking into possible illegal campaign contributions from Turkish officials to Adams' campaign. The Consulate hasn't said anything about it.
This whole situation shows how complicated diplomatic relations can be and how politics can intersect on both local and global levels.
[With information sourced from The National Herald]
