Putin requests apology from Holland over diplomat arrest: report

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THE HAGUE, Oct. 8-- Russian President Vladimir Putin asked for an apology from the Netherlands for the arrest of a Russian diplomat in The Hague last weekend, Putin said during an Asian summit in Bali.

Dutch news agency ANP said on Monday evening that Moscow has made a strong protest against the treatment of the Russian diplomat in The Hague.

The Russian diplomat Dmitri Borodin was reportedly "attacked" in his home in The Hague on Sunday by "people in police uniform." This apparently happened following complaints from neighbors about his behavior in front of children, ANP said.

According to ANP, the diplomat claimed he was thrown to the ground, hit on the head and handcuffed. Diplomats usually are inviolable under diplomatic law, meaning that they may not be detained or arrested.

Neither the Dutch foreign affairs ministry nor the police have yet commented on the claims. According to Dutch broadcaster NOS, the Netherlands has been given time to respond until Tuesday afternoon, 16:00, local time (GMT 1400).

The case comes as the Netherlands and Russia are in a standoff over the seizure of Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise that was sailing under the Dutch flag.

Its crew of 30, including two Dutch nationals, is being held in Russia on piracy charges. The Netherlands has threatened Russia with legal action.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander will travel to Moscow on November 9 for event on the end of friendship year between the two countries.

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