DutchNews, March 13, 2017
The
European Commission has reacted to the diplomatic row between the Netherlands
and Turkey by calling on Ankara to ‘refrain’ from statements and actions that
will make the situation worse.
The commission’s foreign affairs chief Federica
Mogherini and regional policy commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement on Monday that following the tensions between Turkey and some EU
member states, ‘it is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to
calm down the situation.’
‘Decisions with regard to the holding of meetings and
rallies in member states are a matter for the member state concerned,’ the
commissioners said, referring to the Dutch decision to ban two Turkish
ministers from addressing rallies at the weekend.
‘The European Union calls on
Turkey to refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating
the situation. Matters of concern can only be resolved through open and direct
communication channels.’
This is the first time Brussels has responded to the
crisis, which erupted on Saturday when the Netherlands said it would deny
access to two Turkish ministers who wanted to rally support for a referendum
giving greater powers to Erdogan.
The decision to ban the ministers came after
Ankara threatened the Netherlands with sanctions and said the country was
showing the ‘remnants of Nazism’.
Unacceptable
Deputy chairman Frans
Timmermans, speaking in an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, said that
president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s likening of the Dutch to Nazis is
‘unacceptable’. Erdogan’s rhetoric in recent days has gone too far, Timmermans
said.
German chancellor Angela Merkel has also said the Turkish description of
the Netherlands as being fascist and racist are ‘completely unacceptable’ and
has pledged full support to the Netherlands, NOS said.
According to German
broadcaster ZDF, some 30 meetings about the referendum are set to take place in
Germany ahead of the April 16 vote and ministers are divided about whether or
not to let them go ahead.
Nato Nato chairman Jens Stoltenberg has urged all
member states to stay calm and show respect, news agency Reuters reported.
‘Robust debate is at the heart of our democracies but so is mutual respect,’
Stoltenberg told reporters. ‘I would encourage all allies to show mutual
respect, to be calm and have a measured approach…it’s important that we now
focus on everything that unites us.’
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