Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 3
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey intends to improve relations with the Netherlands, Turkish media reported citing the country's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's speech at a joint press conference with his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok on Oct. 3.
Cavusoglu noted that Turkey and the Netherlands will open a new page in relations.
"The negativity in Turkish-Dutch relations is left behind," Cavusoglu said.
It was reported in July that Turkey and the Netherlands made a decision to restore diplomatic relations.
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 reforms in Turkey.
On March 11, 2017, 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 the consulate in Rotterdam, where Dutch police used guard dogs and batons to disperse a 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.
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