THE HAGUE, Netherlands: The Netherlands’ foreign minister said he may fly to Saudi Arabia in a bid to ease anger in Riyadh over anti-religious messages spread by firebrand lawmaker Geert Wilders.

Frans Timmermans told reporters at the Dutch parliament he couldn’t confirm whether Saudi Arabia would impose sanctions on Dutch companies in punishment for Wilders’ actions.

He spoke hours after a Saudi news agency reported that Dutch companies would be blocked from gaining future contracts in the Kingdom.

Timmermans said he has discussed this problem privately with Saudi authorities for months, but was speaking out now because of reports of looming anti-Dutch sanctions.

The foreign minister said he has stressed to Saudi authorities “that the Netherlands has freedom of expression, but that Mr. Wilders’ standpoint on this issue — deliberately offending people — is absolutely not shared in any way by the Dutch government.”

Timmermans said a top diplomat would travel from Amsterdam to Riyadh to explain the Dutch stance.

He said he intended to make his own visit later to reinforce the message.

The foreign minister said he hoped that the Saudis would “understand you should not make an entire country pay for the adolescent behavior of one lawmaker.”

Wilders and the Saudi government offered no immediate comment.

Sabq reported Tuesday night that planned sanctions would include barring Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever and other companies based in Saudi Arabia from winning new work, restricting the work visas of Dutch business people, and canceling trade delegations between the countries.