Turkey Bans Dutch Ambassador as Diplomatic Crisis Escalates

World » EU | March 14, 2017, Tuesday // 08:43
Bulgaria: Turkey Bans Dutch Ambassador as Diplomatic Crisis Escalates File photo: EPA/BGNES

Turkey has suspended high-level political contacts with the Netherlands and threatened to re-evaluate a key deal to halt the flow of migrants to Europe in a dramatic escalation of its diplomatic row with EU member states, according to Reuters.

Turkey has announced a series of measures in retaliation for a Dutch decision to block its ministers for campaigning for a referendum.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said the Dutch ambassador would be barred from returning to Ankara, and high-level political talks suspended. Turkey would also close its airspace to Dutch diplomats, Kursulmuş said, adding: “There is a crisis and a very deep one. We didn’t create this crisis or bring to this stage. Those creating this crisis are responsible for fixing it.”

Turkish attempts to hold rallies in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands have been blocked.

Erdoğan also accused Germany’s Angela Merkel of “supporting terrorists” and criticised her for backing the Dutch in the row over Turkish campaigning abroad before an April referendum on controversial plans to expand his powers.

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Tags: Erdogan, Netherlands, turkey

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