Ankara expresses concerns over new Dutch goverment

The Foreign Ministry on Monday called in the Dutch Embassy undersecretary to explain their concerns over the new government in the Netherlands, which has had to rely on an anti-Islam party for support. Foreign Ministry officials downplayed the exchange and described the invitation as routine, stressing that it doesn't signal any rift in relations. "We underlined that we want to continue cooperating with the Dutch, but we also made it a point that the acquired rights of Turkish citizens who are living in the Netherlands are extremely important and that any steps that might be construed as infringing on their rights would be unacceptable," said a Turkish diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. A minority Dutch coalition made up of Liberals and Christian Democrats took office last week, aiming to curb immigration in exchange for support for its austerity agenda from the anti-immigration Freedom Party. Turks, along with Moroccans, make up a large part of the 1 million Muslims living in the Netherlands.