Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Security was heavy outside Dutch diplomatic buildings in Turkey in March 2017

The Netherlands has formally withdrawn its ambassador to Turkey and said no new Turkish ambassador will be accepted in The Hague.

The decision marks the deepening of a row that began when the Dutch barred Turkish ministers from campaigning among the Turkish diaspora in 2017.

The Dutch diplomat has not been allowed to enter Turkey since March.

The Netherlands foreign ministry also said that it had "paused" talks on resolving matters with Turkey.

"We have not agreed on how to normalise ties," Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said in a statement.

The two Nato allies originally fell out over the Netherlands' decision to block the entry of Turkish officials who wanted to hold rallies ahead of a referendum in Turkey on expanding the president's powers.

One minister arrived by car from Germany to attend a rally in Rotterdam in defiance of the ban, but police escorted her out of the country. Riot police were then deployed in the city to break up angry demonstrations by Dutch-Turkish citizens.

At the time, Dutch voters were set to go to the polls for a general election and Prime Minister Mark Rutte cited security concerns ahead of the vote to justify the decision.

Similar rows took place elsewhere in Europe, with Turkish officials also blocked from holding rallies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded furiously, saying: "Nazism is still widespread in the West."

The Turkish government banned the Dutch ambassador, who was on holiday at the time, from returning.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A look at how tensions between Turkey and the Netherlands unfolded

The unprecedented diplomatic crisis caused the Dutch foreign ministry to issue a travel warning last year, urging its citizens in Turkey to take care and noting the new "diplomatic tensions".

The formal withdrawal of the Dutch ambassador is a sign of how deep the rifts remain between Turkey and some European countries that have lambasted the Turkish government for arresting tens of thousands after the failed July 2016 coup, clamping down on free speech and lashing out at any western criticism, says the BBC's Mark Lowen in Istanbul.

He adds that 13 years ago, Turkey started negotiations to join the EU, but today it has no ambassadorial ties with one of the bloc's founding members.

The Netherlands is the biggest foreign investor in Turkey.</s>, The Hague, Netherlands, Feb 5 – The Netherlands announced Monday it was withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey, and will refuse to allow Ankara to post one in the country as diplomatic ties plunge to new lows.

Relations have deteriorated in the past months, after Dutch officials barred a Turkish minister from attending a rally in Rotterdam on the eve of the March general elections here.

Despite recent high-level talks between the two countries, “we have not been able to agree on the way normalisation should take place,” Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said in a statement.

The Dutch government has therefore “decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands’ ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017,” the foreign ministry added.

“As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands.”

Relations between the two NATO allies have spiralled to an all-time low after the Netherlands expelled Turkey’s Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kayar in March.

The country had also barred another minister’s plane from landing as both Turkish politicians sought to attend a Rotterdam rally of Dutch-Turkish citizens in favour of last April’s Turkish referendum.

But Betul Sayan Kayar defied the Dutch government ban, arriving by car from Germany to press for the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be extended in the referendum.

Protests erupted in the port city as Dutch police stopped her addressing the rally, and escorted her out of the country.

Riot police had to move in to break up an angry demonstration using dogs, horses and water cannon, which added to political tensions just days before the Dutch general elections.

Furious Turkish officials in vain demanded an apology for the minister’s treatment from Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

And the Dutch ambassador, who had been abroad at the time, was blocked from returning to Turkey.

Erdogan even accused the Dutch of behaving like “fascists” in their treatment of the Turkish ministers — comments which triggered anger in the Netherlands occupied by Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Netherlands is home to some 400,000 people of Turkish origin, and the two countries have had diplomatic relations for some four centuries.

But ties first began to strain in 2012 over a row about a Turkish boy adopted by Dutch lesbian parents.

And in 2016 Turkish-Dutch journalist Ebru Umar was arrested and briefly detained after she tweeted comments critical of Erdogan. She was only released after an intervention from the Dutch foreign ministry.

The Dutch NOS public broadcaster reported Monday that the recent talks had sought to find a “magic formula” to restore ties, under which neither side would have to apologise.

“This formula has clearly not been found, and the deterioration between the two countries has clearly gone further than we thought,” NOS added.</s>The Netherlands announced Monday it was withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey, and will refuse to allow Ankara to post one in the country as diplomatic ties plunged to new lows.

Relations have deteriorated in the past 12 months, after Dutch officials barred a Turkish minister from attending a rally in Rotterdam on the eve of general elections in the Netherlands.

Despite recent talks between the two countries, "we have not been able to agree on the way normalisation should take place," Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said in a statement.

The Dutch government has therefore "decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands' ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017," the foreign ministry added in the statement.

"As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands."

Dutch-Turkish relations have spiralled to an all-time low after the Netherlands expelled Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kayar in March.

She had defied a Dutch government ban on attending a campaign rally of Dutch-Turkish citizens in favour of last April's referendum which expanded the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Protests erupted in Rotterdam as she was escorted out of the country without being able to address the rally.

Riot police had to move in to break up an angry demonstration using dogs, horses and water cannon.

Furious Turkish officials demanded an apology for the minister's treatment from Prime Minister Mark Rutte and blocked the Dutch ambassador, who had been abroad at the time, from returning to Turkey.</s>The government of the Netherlands has officially recalled its ambassador to Turkey, as a long-running diplomatic dispute between the two countries shows no signs of abating, official statement says.

“There was no prospect of a normalisation of bilateral relations,’’ Dutch Foreign Minister, Halbe Zijlstra, announced on Monday in The Hague.

Mr. Zijlstra said that the most recent talks aimed at easing tensions ended without making any progress.

“As long as the conflict remains unsolved, a new Turkish ambassador to the Netherlands would also not be allowed in the country,’’ he said.

There has been no Dutch ambassador in Ankara since March 2017, when Turkey expelled the top diplomat.

The diplomatic conflict was sparked by the Dutch government’s refusal to allow Turkish election campaign events to be held on Dutch territory ahead of Turkey’s constitutional referendum in April 2017.

The dispute escalated when Dutch authorities banned the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policies from appearing at a pro-government rally in Rotterdam, and was forced to leave the country with police escorts.</s>The Dutch Foreign Ministry has formally withdrawn its ambassador to Turkey after the diplomat was barred from the country following a dispute that began in March 2017."The Dutch government has decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands' ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017," the ministry wrote in a statement.It also said that the ministry would not accept the appointment of a new Turkish ambassador. "As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands."The statement added that the message has "just been conveyed to the Turkish charge d'affaires in The Hague," and that "this has brought a pause in the talks with Turkey."Tensions between the two countries also intensified in August 2016, when the Turkish Consul General in the Netherlands was reported to have sent a letter advising the mayors of several Dutch towns how to fend off protests staged by opponents of the Turkish government. Bert Koenders, who was the Dutch foreign minister at the time, responded by asserting that protest activity in the Netherlands has "nothing to do with the Turkish government."Turkey barred the Dutch ambassador from the country in March 2017, with President Erdogan stating at the time that the Netherlands must pay for its actions. "Sooner or later, they will pay for this, but we will rapidly bring the Netherlands to account by diplomatic means. We cannot let this go adrift," he said.Erdogan also referred to the Netherlands as being "very nervous and cowardly" after it refused to let the country's foreign minister enter the country. "They are Nazi remnants, they are fascists," he told a crowd of supporters at a rally in Istanbul. The Nazi remark prompted Prime Minister Mark Rutte to demand an apology from Ankara, stating that such comments were unacceptable.</s>Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The Netherlands officially withdrew its ambassador to Turkey in response to a conflict between the two countries dating back to 2017.

The Netherlands has left its ambassador's seat in the Turkish capital of Ankara unfilled since April of last year after the Dutch government banned Turkey's foreign minister from speaking at a referendum rally.

Dutch foreign affairs minister Halbe Zijlstra also said the Netherlands will not accept any Turkish ambassadors until the issue is resolved.

"This message has been conveyed to the Turkish chargé d'affaires," Zijlstra said.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said the Netherlands was withdrawing "a non-existent ambassador" with its move on Monday, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.

"This is not a new event for us. It is a declaration of known. However, the diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Turkey have not been suspended," he said.

The conflict began in March when Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was denied permission to land in the Netherlands to speak at a referendum rally in favor of changes to the country's Constitution.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by referring to the Dutch government as "Nazi remnants and fascists," and Cavusoglu promised "heavy sanctions."

Days later, Turkey suspended high-level political talks with the Netherlands and banned the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara.

Zijlstra said he had talks with Turkish officials in recent weeks, but didn't clarify how they had broken down.</s>Netherlands has officially withdrawn its ambassador from Turkey, the Dutch foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday, Deutsche Welle reports.

The ministry added that it will not allow a new Turkish ambassador in Amsterdam as long as there is no Dutch ambassador in Ankara.

Despite recent talks between the two countries, Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said “we could not reach an agreement on how to normalize relations.”

The Dutch foreign ministry has “paused” talks with Turkey on resolving the matter, it said.

The withdrawal of the ambassador is a largely symbolic gesture as the diplomat has been barred from Turkey since March 2017, when relations between the two countries took a downward turn over the Dutch refusal to allow Turkish ministers to campaign in the Netherlands ahead of a referendum.

Protests erupted in Rotterdam after the Netherlands expelled Turkey’s Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kayar before she could address a campaign rally of Dutch-Turkish citizens in favor of the vote which sought to expand the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Turkish government demanded an apology for the minister’s treatment from Prime Minister Mark Rutte and blocked the Dutch ambassador, who was not in Turkey at the time, from returning to Turkey.

The referendum also strained relations between Germany and Turkey after German authorities canceled several rallies where Turkish officials were expected to speak in favor of the constitutional amendments.</s>The Dutch Foreign Ministry has formally withdrawn its ambassador to Turkey after the diplomat was barred from the country following a dispute that began in March 2017.

"The Dutch government has decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands’ ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017," the ministry wrote in a statement.

It also said that the ministry would not accept the appointment of a new Turkish ambassador. "As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands."

The statement added that the message has "just been conveyed to the Turkish charge d'affaires in The Hague," and that "this has brought a pause in the talks with Turkey."

The two sides fell out over the Netherlands' decision to block visas for Turkish officials campaigning for votes among expatriate Turks in the lead-up to the March 2017 constitutional referendum, which ultimately granted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping powers.

The country’s refusal to grant Turkey's foreign minister permission to land in March 2017 led to a mass rally outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, prompting its closure.

Tensions between the two countries also intensified in August 2016, when the Turkish Consul General in the Netherlands was reported to have sent a letter advising the mayors of several Dutch towns how to fend off protests staged by opponents of the Turkish government. Bert Koenders, who was the Dutch foreign minister at the time, responded by asserting that protest activity in the Netherlands has "nothing to do with the Turkish government."

Turkey barred the Dutch ambassador from the country in March 2017, with President Erdogan stating at the time that the Netherlands must pay for its actions. "Sooner or later, they will pay for this, but we will rapidly bring the Netherlands to account by diplomatic means. We cannot let this go adrift,” he said.

Erdogan also referred to the Netherlands as being "very nervous and cowardly" after it refused to let the country's foreign minister enter the country. "They are Nazi remnants, they are fascists," he told a crowd of supporters at a rally in Istanbul. The Nazi remark prompted Prime Minister Mark Rutte to demand an apology from Ankara, stating that such comments were unacceptable.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!</s>The two nations fell out last year following the Dutch government’s decision to block visas for Turkish officials campaigning for votes among expats living in the Netherlands in the lead-up to Turkey’s controversial referendum which granted Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers. The Netherland’s refusal to grant Turkey's foreign minister permission to land in March 2017 led to a mass rally outside the Dutch consulate in Istanbul, prompting its closure. The Dutch foreign ministry said: “The Dutch government has decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands’ ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017. "As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands."

The ministry added the message has "just been conveyed to the Turkish charge d'affaires in The Hague" and that "this has brought a pause in the talks with Turkey”. During the heated diplomatic row last year, Erdogan referred to the Netherlands as “Nazi remnants” and “fascists” in a scathing attack on Amsterdam during a rally in Istanbul. He also called the Dutch "very nervous and cowardly”. Following Erdogan’s Nazi remark, Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte demanded an apology from Ankara, stating such comments were unacceptable.

Turkey barred the Dutch ambassador from the country in March 2017, with Erdogan stating at the time that the Netherlands must pay for its actions. The Turkish president said: ”Sooner or later, they will pay for this, but we will rapidly bring the Netherlands to account by diplomatic means. We cannot let this go adrift.” The move comes as Erdogan has been accused of “paving the way for fascism” over fears he is arming vigilante groups to hunt down people involved in the failed 2016 coup. The new legislation says all civilians who took part in the suppression of the 2016 coup attempt will be exempt from prosecution.

But critics say the legislation is deliberately vague so any future violence by government supporters could be exempt from justice. Main opposition CHP Party spokesman Bulent Tezcan said: "The passing of the decree is tantamount to forming an armed organisation with government approval. "Such a decree could be passed only in militarist, fascist countries, in dictatorships that threaten society with civilian militias. This decree lays the foundation for such groups. It plants a bomb at the heart of society." Former interior minister Meral Aksener, now leader of the right-wing opposition The Good Party, said: "The decree could potentially pave the way for a civil war in Turkey.”</s>The Dutch Foreign Ministry on Monday said it had formally withdrawn its ambassador to Turkey, who has been physically barred from the country for almost a year, over a dispute that began in March 2017.

The Netherlands will also not accept the appointment of a new Turkish ambassador to the Netherlands.

In a statement, the ministry said it has "paused" talks with Turkey on resolving the matter.

Despite recent talks between the two countries, "we have not agreed on how to normalize ties," Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlsra said in a statement.

Relations between Turkey and the Netherlands soured prior to the Dutch general elections on March 14. Looking to attract votes from nationalists, the previous Dutch government exerted a number of undemocratic actions against Turkish politicians.

It declined a landing permit to a plane carrying Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who was scheduled to speak at a meeting in Rotterdam. The authorities also barred Family Minister, Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya from entering the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. She was forced to remain inside her vehicle for hours before being deported to Germany.

The incidents drew severe criticism from Ankara and the Foreign Ministry asked the off-duty Dutch ambassador in Ankara, who was on leave, not to return "for a while."

After months of negotiations, the Dutch coalition government was formed on Oct. 26. The absence of Bert Koenders, who was seen as the one responsible for the heightened tension, in the new Dutch cabinet has opened up the opportunity to normalize bilateral relations between the two countries.

An exchange of ambassadors between the two countries was expected to take place in the first weeks of the 2018 as a first step to restore bilateral relations.
The Netherlands withdraw their ambassador in Ankara and say that they will not accept a new Turkish ambassador in The Hague. Dutch foreign minister Halbe Zijlstra says, "We have not agreed on how to normalise ties."