The Foreign Ministry of Germany confirmed media reports that earlier German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel asked his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to avoid visiting the Netherlands during Europe tour, Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters at a briefing, RIA Novosti reported.

As earlier BILD noted quoting a diplomatic source, during the ministerial meeting in Berlin last week Gabriel conveyed to Cavusoglu the request of the Government of the Netherlands not to hold rallies in the country within the European tour in connection with future referendum in Turkey.

The Turkish side responded positively to the request, however, did not keep the promise, a move that led to a diplomatic scandal.