US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE3067

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 003067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2013 
TAGS: EU, NL, PREL 
SUBJECT: EU COUNCIL PUTS DUTCH IN AWKWARD POSITION 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD SOBEL FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D 
 
1. (C)  Dutch Political Director Hugo Siblesz told Amb Sobel 
on December 15 that the failure of the EU Council to agree on 
a constitution this weekend means that the Inter-Governmental 
Council (IGC) likely will continue through the Dutch 
presidency. He said the "wounds are too raw" for a solution 
to be easily found during the Irish presidency in the first 
semester of 2004.  POL Counselor asked about the Dutch 
position on a "two-speed" Europe, noting that the Benelux 
countries were among those cited as possible participants and 
yet the Dutch historically do not want to choose sides among 
the UK, Germany and France.  Siblesz said that a two-speed 
Europe would pose a major dilemma for the Dutch government. 
He said that even were the Dutch eventually to join such a 
movement, they would not do so until after their presidency. 
Siblesz also said that Italian PM Berlusconi's method of 
trying to resolve IGC problems through bilateral discussions 
was a mistake because it deprived him of the peer pressure 
that would have come out of group sessions.  Privately, other 
officials said it was clear that Chirac was not going to 
compromise under any circumstance.  Siblesz said Chirac was 
trying to "claw back from Nice." 
2.  (C)  Subsequently, POL Counselor spoke with Peter de 
Gooijer, Office Director for EU affairs and a man very close 
to FM Bot.  De Gooijer said the Dutch consider it very 
important not to jump to the conclusion that the failure in 
Brussels last weekend automatically opens the possibility of 
a two-speed Europe.  Rather, de Gooijer said they should let 
the dust settle and tempers ease, then talk to the Irish 
about how to further the process during the Irish presidency. 
 De Gooijer said that even if the Dutch must assume the IGC, 
they would be under no obligation to set a deadline for the 
end of their presidency.  He said the Dutch already have a 
full agenda they do not want to derail:  setting the 
principles for the budget debate and advancing Tampere. 
SOBEL