THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government on Saturday withdrew landing permission for the Turkish foreign minister's aircraft, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two NATO allies over campaigning for a Turkish referendum on constitutional reform.
The Dutch government said in a statement it had withdrawn the permission because of "risks to public order and security" caused by the proposed visit of Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to Rotterdam.
Earlier Saturday, in an interview with private broadcaster CNN Turk, Cavusoglu said: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight permit, our sanctions to the Netherlands would be heavy."
He also repeated the government's charges that bans on rallies are "fascist practices."
Cavusoglu said that the German and Dutch bans on campaigns for a "yes" vote in the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes means that Europe is "taking a side for a 'no' vote." The constitutional changes would give Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more powers.
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