Dutch bar plane carrying Turkish foreign minister from landing

[March 11, 2017]    AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Saturday barred a plane carrying Turkey's foreign minister from landing, saying his visit would be a threat to public order.

 Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu gives a speech to the media at the foreign ministry building (SRE) in Mexico City, Mexico February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Henry Romero/File Photo

The move comes after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he would travel to Rotterdam, despite a ban on him addressing a rally there.

The Dutch are due to vote in a national election on Wednesday, in which anti-immigration sentiment has played a prominent role.

Rutte said in a statement published on his official Facebook page that Turkey had upset discussions under which Cavusoglu would have been allowed to enter the country, by calling for a massive public rally.

A Turkish threat of sanctions if Cavusoglu were denied entry "made a reasonable solution impossible", Rutte said.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Alexander Smith)

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