09/10/2013 18:53
Netherlands apologizes to Russia over diplomat arrest
The Netherlands apologized to Russia on Wednesday for the arrest by police of one of its diplomats in The Hague over the weekend, RIA Novosti reported.
Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said in a statement on his Facebook account that based on the information from police, he concluded that the actions of police were in violation of international rules granting diplomats immunity.
"The state of the Netherlands offers its apologies to Russia," Timmermans said.
Russian state television Rossiya-24 reported this week that local police forced their way into Borodin’s apartment on Saturday night, assaulted him, and then held him at a police station for several hours without explanation.
Reuters cited Dutch news agency ANP as saying that the police had entered Borodin's house in The Hague after receiving a complaint from neighbors about the diplomat's alleged mistreatment of his children.
Timmermans also said in the Facebook post that he understood the actions of the police officers, who he said were reacting to a notification from the public.