Dutch politician and diplomat Bert Koenders will travel to Turkey later this week to investigate differing reports covering the treatment of migrants, and specifically allegations that Turkey has forcibly returned victims to Syria where they have faced systematic persecution.

Bert Koenders
Bert Koenders

In a statement on national Dutch radio station Radio1 earlier today, the minister announced plans to verify alerts by human rights organisation Amnesty International. The minister stated that, in principle there is no reason to suspend the EU agreement with Turkey, yet Turkey has no legal basis upon which to return migrants to Syria.

The Turkish government has vehemently denied the claims, saying that the country is following international law and suggesting that the Amnesty report is not grounded in reality.

The Dutch position is in contrast with shifting Germany foreign policy as Chancellor Merkel earlier this week appeared to back ruling AK Party’s implementation of the EU deal.