Turkey declares political sanctions against Netherlands

Turkey will impose political sanctions against Netherlands for the moment, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said after the Dutch authorities barred Turkish politicians from holding rallies in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

The sanctions would be under the political framework at the moment, Kurtulmus told reporters late Monday after a cabinet meeting which measures against the Dutch government were discussed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Dutch ambassador to Ankara, who is out of the country at the moment, will not be allowed enter Turkey until Netherlands meets Turkey's demands, Kurtulmus said.

The Turkish government will suspend "high-level relations and all planned meetings "with Netherlands, he said, adding that a permission given in December for diplomatic flights for Dutch officials is also cancelled.

The Turkish government will propose the Parliament abolishing a Turkish-Dutch parliamentary friendship group, the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

Diplomatic tensions between the two countries escalated over the weekend after the Dutch authorities cancelled Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permission to the Netherlands and then blocked Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday.

--IANS

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