US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE3060

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003060 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, IZ, NL 
SUBJECT: DUTCH PARLIAMENT CONCURS WITH SFIR EXTENSION 
 
REF: THE HAGUE 2987 (NOTAL) 
 
1. (U) On December 11, the Dutch parliament concurred with 
the November 28 decision by the Cabinet to extend Dutch 
participation in the Stabilization Force in Iraq for six 
months.  The Dutch presently have approximately 1100 
military personnel (mostly Dutch Royal Marines) serving as 
part of the UK's Multi-National Division South-East in 
AlMuthanna Province.  Only the far-left opposition Green 
Left (GL) and Socialist (SP) Parties opposed the extension, 
as they are against Dutch involvement in Iraq altogether. 
While supporting the extension, the governing Christian 
Democrats (CDA), Liberals (VVD) and Liberal Democrats (D66) 
as well as the main opposition Labor Party (PvdA) all 
expressed concern about threats to Dutch troops' safety but 
accepted Defense Minister Kamp's assurances that measures 
had been taken to address them.  (Kamp recently dispatched 
70 Dutch Special Forces commandoes to perform reconnaissance 
missions in the Dutch sector.)  Members also accepted Kamp's 
assurances that the Dutch were receiving adequate 
information from the UK about possible threats (this had 
previously been a subject of parliamentary concern). 
 
2. (U) Kamp readily admitted that the security situation had 
become more difficult.  He said that measures had been taken 
to prevent terrorist attacks on Dutch forces but "we cannot 
reassure the Chamber as we are not reassured ourselves."  In 
concurring with the extension, Parliament expressed strong 
support for the Dutch troops' role in enhancing security by 
training Iraqi police and other security forces and thus 
facilitating the transfer of power to the Iraqi people. 
 
3. (SBU) Comment:  Support for the Cabinet's November 28 
decision was largely a foregone conclusion (a formal vote of 
approval is in fact not necessary in the Dutch system; 
however the Chamber always debates potentially controversial 
decisions).  Nevertheless both Kamp and parties on the 
center-right and center-left used yesterday's debate to make 
plain their concerns about the risk to Dutch forces should 
there be eventual Dutch casualties in Iraq.  End comment. 
 
Sobel