Turkish Foreign Minster Mevlut Cavusoglu called Austria the "capital of radical racism" on Friday (August 5) after Chancellor Christian Kern suggested ending European Union accession talks with Ankara.
In an interview with broadcaster TGRT Haber, Cavusoglu said Kern's comments, spurred in part by a crackdown on suspected perpetrators of a failed coup last month, were "ugly" and that he rejected them all.
"The Austrian chancellor should first take a look at his own country. One of the trends that is an enemy of human rights and values is racism and today Austria is the capital of radical racism," he said.
Kern said on Wednesday (August 3) he would start a discussion among European heads of government to quit talks with Turkey citing democratic and economic deficits.
Talks have made only slow progress since they began in 2005, with only one of 35 "chapters" concluded.
Cavusoglu's comments drew immediate reaction from Vienna. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz called on Ankara to moderate its words and actions.
Kern's Social Democrats have come under pressure from both their Conservative coalition partners and the far right Freedom Party, which has in a recent opinion poll attracted 35 percent of votes on an anti-immigrant platform, critical of Islam.
Tensions between the two countries had been on the rise since last month. Austria had summoned Turkey's ambassador on July 21 to explain Ankara's links to demonstrations in the country in support of Erdogan.
Cavusoglu also said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Turkey on August 24, more than a month after the coup attempt.
The foreign minister was asked about Syria and said the only permanent solution is a political one.
He said his country is supporting a fourth round of negotiations in Geneva.
