EU warns Erdogan as Turkey-Netherlands crisis deepens

Dutch Vice Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher speaks to the media after a meeting with representatives of Turkish organizations in The Hague on Monday. (AFP)

ISTANBUL: The European Union on Monday warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to avoid inflammatory rhetoric as a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the Netherlands deepened over the blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies to win support for plans to expand his powers.
Erdogan at the weekend twice accused NATO ally Netherlands of acting like the Nazis, comments that sparked outrage in a country bombed and occupied by German forces in World War II.
In an escalating standoff that risks damaging Turkey鈥檚 already deteriorating relations with the European Union ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional change, Brussels sternly warned Ankara to avoid making the situation worse.
In apparent reference to Erdogan鈥檚 comments, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn called on Turkey to 鈥渞efrain from excessive statements and actions that risk further exacerbating the situation.
鈥淚t is essential to avoid further escalation and find ways to calm down the situation,鈥� their statement added.
But Turkey鈥檚 EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik responded by warning that Ankara 鈥渟hould re-evaluate鈥� a key part of a 2016 deal to stem the flow of migrants to the European Union.
He said Turkey should look at its policy on preventing migrant flows across land borders, although it would keep halting the illegal and dangerous sea crossings as a matter of human responsibility, state media said.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also urged Turkey and its NATO allies to 鈥渟how mutual respect, to be calm and have a measured approach to contribute to de-escalate the tensions.鈥�
The Dutch authorities had at the weekend prevented the plane of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from landing and blocked Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya from holding a rally in Rotterdam.
The ministers had been seeking to harness the support of an estimated 400,000 people of Turkish origin living in the country ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional changes giving Erdogan greater powers.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the Dutch envoy to Ankara for the third day in a row, handing two separate protest notes over The Hague鈥檚 behavior.
The Netherlands on Monday also issued a new travel warning to Dutch citizens in Turkey, urging them to stay 鈥渁lert across the whole of Turkey.鈥�
Turkey has already responded furiously to fellow NATO ally Germany鈥檚 refusal to give permission for ministers to hold rallies there, with Erdogan comparing such action to 鈥淣azi practices.鈥�
After Erdogan used the same language to scold the Netherlands, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that the comparison was 鈥渃ompletely wrong鈥� and 鈥渂analizes suffering.鈥�
鈥淭his is particularly unacceptable directed at the Netherlands which suffered so much鈥� under the Nazis, she added, offering Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte her full support.
The issue risks spiralling into a crisis with the EU as a whole, which Turkey has sought to join for more than half a century in a so far fruitless membership bid.
Denmark has also asked Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to postpone a visit planned for later this month.
Erdogan, who has indicated he may personally travel to EU states to address rallies 鈥� in a move that could inflame the situation further 鈥� said on Sunday that the West was showing its 鈥渢rue face鈥� in the standoff.
He has repeatedly accused the Netherlands of acting like 鈥渇ascists鈥� and 鈥淣azis,鈥� saying on Sunday: 鈥淚 had thought that the era of Nazism was over but I was wrong.鈥�
Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli described Europe as a 鈥渧ery sick man,鈥� a nod to the moniker used in the mid-19th century of the declining Ottoman Empire as the 鈥渟ick man of Europe.鈥�
Rutte, under pressure to take a hard line against Erdogan as he faces the far-right populist Geert Wilders in general elections Wednesday, said there were no apologies to be made to Turkey.
He called for Dutch voters to be the first to stop Europe鈥檚 鈥渢rend of populism鈥� but dismissed the idea that Turkey was trying to interfere in the Netherlands elections.
Bringing out the millions-strong expatriate vote could be key in a referendum that is expected to be close and potentially a turning point in Turkey鈥檚 modern history.
Analysts have said Erdogan is using the crisis to show that his strong leadership is needed against a Europe which he presents as being innately hostile to Turkey.
鈥淓rdogan is looking for 鈥榠magined鈥� foreign enemies to boost his nationalist base in the run up to the April 16 referendum,鈥� said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute.
鈥淏y blocking (the rallies), they may have given Erdogan a lifeline to eke out a victory in the referendum,鈥� he added.