Dutch prime minister has date with Putin to discuss human rights

DutchNews.nl, Monday 03 February 2014

President Putin and prime minister

Rutte. (Nos/ANP)

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will meet Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss human rights, the state information service says on Monday.

The meeting will take place in Sochi on Friday, the RVD says. The meeting, scheduled for 14.00 hours in the presidential residence in Sochi, is a ‘recognition of the intensive relationship between Russia and the Netherlands,’ the RVD says.

However, the agenda goes further than human rights alone and there will not be a press conference at the end of the meeting, the RVD says.

The Netherlands is under fire for sending a heavyweight delegation to the Winter Olympics in Sochi because of Russia's record on human and gay rights. Rutte said several times he hoped to meet Putin during his visit to discuss Dutch concerns.

On Monday evening gay rights lobby group COC is set to hand over a petition to Rutte calling for a rethink. Both the prime minister and king should stay at home, the COC says.

Rutte and Putin pose for the cameras in Sochi Photo: Reuters

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(NOS/NTR)