...

Istanbul cancels sister city protocol with Rotterdam

Türkiye Materials 15 March 2017 21:20 (UTC +04:00)
The city council of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has unilaterally terminated its sister city protocol with the Dutch city of Rotterdam following tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands
Istanbul cancels sister city protocol with Rotterdam

Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 15

Trend:

The city council of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has unilaterally terminated its sister city protocol with the Dutch city of Rotterdam following tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands, Anadolu Agency reports citing a municipality statement on March 15.

The decision came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier Wednesday he asked Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to tell the Istanbul mayor to end the pact with Rotterdam.

The diplomatic row between Turkey and the Netherlands broke out as the Dutch authorities’ decided to, for security reasons, prohibit Turkish politicians from delivering speeches in the Netherlands in support of constitutional reform in Turkey.

On March 11, the Dutch government first canceled the Turkish foreign minister's flight permit to the Netherlands and then blocked a convoy carrying Turkey’s family minister from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam.

Protests erupted outside consulate in Rotterdam, where Dutch police used guard dogs and baton to disperse peaceful crowd gathering in support of Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya.

In response, Turkey sent two notes to the Netherlands to protest blocking of Turkish ministers’ visits to the country and ill-treatment of Turkish citizens by the Dutch police.

Tags:
Latest

Latest