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Kremlin calls for constructive solution to Turkey-Netherlands diplomatic standoff

Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov does not think that "there is the need for any mediators here"

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MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/.The Kremlin is calling on The Hague and Ankara to resort to a constructive stance on de-escalating the conflict between the two countries, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"No doubt, we call on The Hague and Ankara to exercise restraint, and a constructive position on the de-escalation of tensions between the two countries," Peskov told reporters. "We do not think that there is the need for any mediators here. Only these two countries can get out of this situation," he said.

The diplomatic spat between Ankara and The Hague flared up after the Dutch authorities decided to ban Turkish politicians from speaking at a rally in support of a constitutional reform in Turkey, citing security concerns.

As a result of this ban, on March 11 the Dutch government refused to allow Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s plane to land. Later that day, Turkey’s Minister of Family and Social Policies, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, arrived in the Netherlands from Germany to address the Turkish diaspora. However, she was blocked off near the consulate in Rotterdam. Kaya was labelled an "undesirable foreigner" and whisked away to the German border.

In response, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan branded the Netherlands as "Nazi remnants" and demanded apology, promising harsh measures against The Hague.

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