Turkey Sends 2 Diplomatic Notes to the Netherlands

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Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent two separate diplomatic notes to the Netherlands.

According to state-run Anadolu Agency, the note read, “The proceedings in question, which don’t comply with diplomatic courtesy and international customs, against Turkish ministers are strongly condemned and that an apology is expected concerning these practices from Dutch authorities”.

The note also requested that “The violations in question against Turkish ministers and citizens be investigated, placing punitive, administrative and judicial sanctions against those who carried out the violations, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be informed of the outcome”.

In the first note, it was stated that the treatment against Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betül Sayan-Kaya and the delegation accompanying her were not in accordance with the international customs and that it violated the Vienna Convention.

The second note was sent with respect to Dutch police’s intervention in the protesters in front of the consulate building.

What happened?

The campaign meeting of Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on March 11 in Rotterdam for the referendum on the Constitutional Amendment Draft on April 16 was cancelled.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Abutalip had announced that the decision to cancel the meeting was taken by the owner of the hall Park de Heerlijkheid where the meeting was to take place due to lack of fire security measures. Mayor Abutalip noted however "If the owner of the hall had not, I would have cancelled the meeting myself for public order and security reasons".

Çavuşoğlu in a TV program in CNN Türk called the Dutch "Nazis" following the remarks about Germany and if the Netherlands would revoke his landing rights, this would cause sanctions.

On March 11, the Netherlands revoked Minister Çavuşoğlu's landing rights.

Netherland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders said that Çavuşoğlu's call to the people from Turkey in the Netherlands for an assembly threatened "the public order and security".

While the revocation of Çavuşoğlu's landing rights sparked protests in Turkey and the Netherlands, Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betül Sayan-Kaya who wanted to enter the Consulate of Turkey in Rotterdam where the protests were being staged was blocked and deported to Germany with police escort.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte said that he wished the tension to de-escelate but they would not apologize.

On March 15, General Elections will be held in the Netherlands. (ÇT/TK)