THE HAGUE, 05/04/07 - Integration Minister Ella Vogelaar will invite the Turkish ambassador, Selahattin Alpar, for a discussion on integration. Her move is prompted by an interview the diplomat gave to newspaper De Telegraaf last Saturday.

Alpar said in the newspaper that Turkish pupils in the Netherlands should be able to have lessons in their own language and culture at school. He also warned the government that Turkish rights must be better protected in the Netherlands.

The Party for Freedom (PVV) and conservatives (VVD) are furious about the interview. VVD MP Henk Kamp, the former Defence Minister, advised that the diplomat would do better in future to keep "his big mouth" shut.

PVV MP Sietse Fritsma demanded that the ambassador should be summoned. It is unacceptable for the Turkish government to try to exercise influence on the Turkish community in the Netherlands, he said.

Vogelaar will however not formally put the ambassador on the carpet. She will, together with Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, make it clear in a meeting that "Turkish at Dutch schools is undesirable."

In the past, lessons were indeed given in Turkish to children of Turkish parents. The idea was that they would learn Dutch better if they could imbibe words via Turkish. In 2003, this policy was however dropped. "It simply does not work," said Vogelaar in the Lower House.

The Labour (PvdA) minister received support for her cautious approach from her own party. PvdA MP Jeroen Dijsselbloem considered a "strong interview" with the ambassador sufficient. Vogelaar promised to tell the House about the meeting within three weeks.