Turkey formally protests to Dutch envoy over diplomatic donnybrook

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Netherlands’ top diplomat to formally protest its treatment of a Turkish minister in that country over the weekend as well as what it said was “disproportionate” use of force against demonstrators in a protest that ensued.

The ministry said the Dutch Embassy’s charge d’affaires, Daan Feddo Huisinga, was called in and handed two formal protest notes.

The first protested what it said practices that were contrary to international conventions, diplomatic courtesy, and diplomatic immunity and requested a written apology from the Dutch authorities, a ministry statement said. Turkey also reserved its right to seek compensation, the Dutch diplomat was told.

The second note objected to the treatment of Turkish citizens who had gathered outside the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam, saying “disproportionate force” had been used against “people using their right to peaceful gatherings.”

It added that Turkish nationals had been subjected to “inhumane and derogatory” treatment and called for those responsible to be identified and punished.

It was the third time that the Dutch diplomat has been summoned since tensions broke out between the two countries after two ministers were prevented from campaigning in the Netherlands for Ankara in the run up to a referendum on the Turkish constitution in April.

The family affairs minister was escorted out of the country while the foreign minister was denied permission to land.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming that “Nazism is alive in the West.”