EU urges Erdogan restraint as Turkey-Netherlands row deepens
Dutch PM demands Ankara apologise over Nazi jibe
ISTANBUL // The European Union yesterday warned president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to avoid inflammatory rhetoric as a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the Netherlands deepened over the blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies in support for plans to expand the president’s powers. Mr Erdogan at the weekend twice accused Nato ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in the Second World War. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, who faces a major challenge from the far- right in tomorrow’s key general election, said Mr Erdogan’s comments were unacceptable and it was Ankara that should apologise.
In an escalating stand-off that risks damaging Turkey’s already deteriorating relations with the EU ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional change, Brussels warned Ankara to avoid worsening the situation.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to “refrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation”.
“It is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation,” they said.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Turkey and its Nato allies to “show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to contribute to de-escalate the tensions”. The Dutch authorities had at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked family minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam.
The ministers had been seeking to harness the support of an estimated 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the country ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes to give Mr Erdogan greater powers.
The Turkish foreign ministry yesterday summoned the Dutch envoy to Ankara for the third day in a row.
Ankara’s minister of EU affairs, Omer Celik, said that Turkey should reconsider part of its deal to keep migrants out of the EU.
Mr Celik said the land passage component of Turkey’s migrant deal with Europe should be reconsidered – presumably referring to Ankara’s agreement with Brussels that it would stop the flow of migrants into the bloc. The Netherlands yesterday also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey, urging them to stay alert.
Turkey has already responded furiously to fellow Nato ally Germany’s refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Mr Erdogan comparing such action to “Nazi practices”. Denmark has also asked Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a visit planned for later this month.
The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought, unsuccessfully, to join as a member for more than half a century.
Mr Erdogan accused Nato ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis