By Hasan Esen
ANKARA (AA) - The Netherlands has canceled Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's flight permit on grounds of "security" and "public safety", Dutch Foreign Ministry announced in a statement Saturday.
The announcement came just hours after Cavusoglu said Turkey would impose “severe sanctions” on the Netherlands if attempts were made to cancel his planned meeting in the European country.
The foreign minister was scheduled to address the Turkish community in the Dutch city of Rotterdam later Saturday.
In remarks made during a live television interview on CNN Turk earlier, Cavusoglu said: "If the Netherlands cancels my flight, we will impose severe sanctions on them that will affect it economically and politically."
He also asked: "Where is the harm in my visiting the country?", adding he could travel anywhere as a foreign minister.
"If tension will increase [between the two countries] because of my visit, then let it increase," he said.