Turkey recalls its ambassador to Austria over pro-PKK rally

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Monday Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Vienna over a rally held there in support of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Cavusoglu said the recall of its ambassador is for "consultations" at a joint news conference with Moldovan Foreign Minister Andrei Galbur in Ankara.

The move comes after Austrian authorities banned an anti-coup meeting in the country by Turkish citizens there, while allowed a pro-PKK march on Saturday, according to the report.

Cavusoglu said that the country cannot "remain insensitive to this attitude supporting terrorism," adding that "the ground on which the bilateral relations and cooperation with Austria can be normally sustained has disappeared."

He claimed that Austria is becoming an anti-Islam center. The PKK group is listed as a terrorist organization by U.S., EU and Turkey.

Ties between Turkey and Austria have been tense for several weeks.

Earlier this month, Turkey summoned Austria's charge d'affaires in Ankara over what it said was an "indecent report" on Vienna airport's news ticker, which falsely claiming that Turkey allows sex with children under the age of 15.

Austrian leaders called for an end to Turkey's European Union membership talks increasing the strains of the relations between the two countries. Endit