US embassy cable - 00THEHAGUE1678

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR, PM, EUR/RPM, EUR/UBI 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2010 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, NL, NATO 
SUBJECT: DUTCH GOVERNMENT NOTIFIED OF SOESTERBERG 
FACILITIES CLOSURE 
 
 
REF: SECSTATE 100360 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS STEPHEN R. KELLY; REASONS 1.5 (B,D). 
 
 
1.(C)  EMBASSY DELIVERED REFTEL NOTIFICATION TO THE 
NETHERLANDS MFA ON 6/5.  TO DATE, THE MFA HAS MADE NO COMMENT 
ON THE NOTIFICATION. 
 
 
2.(SBU)  COMMENT IN OTHER FORA ABOUT PREVIOUSLY HELD INFORMAL 
CONSULTATIONS REGARDING THE SOESTERBERG FACILITY TERMINATION 
HAS BEEN LIMITED.  ON MAY 17, IN A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO A 
LETTER EARLIER SUBMITTED TO THE MOD BY VVD DEFENSE 
SPOKERPERSON THEO VAN DEN DOEL, STATE SECRETARY FOR DEFENSE 
HENK VAN HOOF INFORMED THE PARLIAMENT THAT HE HAD BEEN 
"INFORMED ORALLY BY THE U.S. ON MAY 4 THAT THE COB STATUS OF 
SOESTERBERG AIR BASE HAD EXPIRED.  THE PROMISE WAS MADE THAT 
THIS WOULD SOON BE CONFIRMED IN WRITING.  NOW THAT THE COB 
STATUS HAS EXPIRED, THE NUMBER OF FLIGHT MOVEMENTS RESERVED 
FOR JET FIGHTERS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...SINCE THE AIRBASE WILL 
REMAIN OPEN, THE REQUIRED AND EXISTING FACILITIES TO KEEP IT 
OPEN MUST BE MAINTAINED.  THE BULK OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE'S 
FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN GIVEN ANOTHER 
DESTINATION SINCE THE AMERICAN UNIT LEFT.  SOESTERBERG AIR 
BASE WILL REMAIN THE HOME BASE OF TWO (DUTCH) TRANSPORT 
HELICOPTER SQUADRONS AND A RESERVE BASE FOR DUTCH F-16'S." 
FENDRICK