US embassy cable - 00THEHAGUE1873

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001873 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2010 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, EAGR, ETRD, IR, NL 
SUBJECT: DUTCH ON IRAN: SHIRAZ DEFENDENTS, AG MINISTER VISIT 
 
 
REF: SECSTATE 114655 
 
 
Classified by A/Polcouns Eric Lundberg, Reasons 1.5 b/d 
 
 
1.(C) A/Polcouns orally conveyed ref A points to Dutch MFA 
PDAS for the Middle East Hans Driesser and Iran Deskoff Maria 
Klomp on June 21.  Driesser reviewed recent Dutch forays on 
the Shiraz defendants, including Foreign Minister Van 
Aartsen's contentious meeting with Iranian FM Kharazzi in 
Tehran on May 29 (ref B).  The EU, Driesser noted, had 
consistently called for a transparent process and for full 
access to defense lawyers for the defendants and had stressed 
to Tehran that death sentences would be totally unacceptable. 
 A Dutch Embassy rep was present in Shiraz for all of the 
press conferences and would return for the next press 
conference two days prior to the sentencing.  While Driesser 
pointed out that the EU had not gone as far as demanding the 
"release" of the defendants, he agreed that the EU's 
conditions had not been met.  He concurred that the U.S., EU 
and other interested parties should engage in immediate 
consultations following the verdict to fashion a coordinated 
response. 
 
 
Agriculture Minister to Visit 
----------------------------- 
 
 
2.(U) In other business, Driesser told A/Polcouns that the 
announced visit of Dutch Agriculture Minister Brinkhorst - 
held off in order to give Van Aartsen primacy of place - 
would go forward as announced July 1-4.  The combined 
government/business delegation will focus on promotion of 
sales of technology for the dairy, poultry, floral and 
fisheries industries, as well as other areas.  We understand 
that Trade Minister Ybema is also  mulling over a separate 
visit, though no date has been set. 
SCHNEIDER