MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkey sent the Netherlands two diplomatic notes Monday criticizing the treatment of a Turkish minister, who was denied entrance to its consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday, and the "disproportionate" Dutch police response to a gathering protesting the ban.
"Robust debate is at the heart of our democracy, but so is mutual respect. Therefore, I will encourage all allies to show mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to… diffuse tensions and de-escalate the situation," Stoltenberg said after unveiling his annual report for 2016.
The note added that Ankara was expecting an official apology from Amsterdam for actions that it deemed incompatible with diplomatic protocols and international law
"I think it is important that we now focus on everything that unites us, the common challenges, the threats and how NATO is adapting, and that we not focus on issues that occasionally divide us," Stoltenberg said.
