Egypt Urges Netherlands to Release Detained Citizen, Cites Diplomatic Protection

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty engaged in a phone conversation with his Dutch counterpart, Tom Berendsen, on Monday evening. The discussion centered on the recent arrest of an Egyptian citizen by Dutch authorities on Sunday, with Egypt calling for the citizen's prompt release and an explanation of the circumstances.

During the call, Minister Abdelatty also stressed the paramount importance of the Dutch authorities providing adequate protection to the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague. He highlighted that this protection is a requirement under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Abdelatty emphasized that honoring these obligations is consistent with the principle of reciprocity and Egypt's own commitment to safeguarding all diplomatic missions within its territory, a point with which the Dutch minister agreed.

The two ministers concluded their discussion by agreeing to continue consultations to resolve outstanding issues and maintain the long-standing friendly relations between Egypt and the Netherlands.