Dutch Gov't reassures Turks of Muslims' rights

Turkish Muslims in the Netherlands will continue to freely practice their religion, the Dutch government has assured Turkey, adding that controversial politician Geert Wilders’ understanding of Islam was not shared by the country’s governing coalition. “The freedom of religion is one of the ingrained constitutional rights for people in the Netherlands and a cornerstone of the Netherlands. People who believe in Islam are entitled to go to the mosque. The only point that they have to take into account is that they should not go beyond the rule of law and the constitutional duties going with that,” Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal told a small group of Turkish journalists Tuesday. Rosenthal said he discussed the situation with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu during the NATO Summit in Lisbon last month and clarified the stance of his government on the critical issue. “We have a Turkish community of 400,000 and they have contributed over the years to the prosperity of the Netherlands. Their successes can be found in many fields.” Rosenthal said. Emphasizing the success of many Dutch people of Turkish origin in small and medium enterprises, the minister also said there had been an increase in Turks participating in higher education in recent years.