US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE685

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS IO/T FOR JANE COWLEY AND/OR FRANK OSTRANDER; 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EUR/UBI FOR S. HOLLIDAY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, NL, UN, ELNT, WHO 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RE ROAD SAFETY 
 
REF: STATE 55662 
 
1. PER (REFTEL) REQUEST, DEMARCHE AND SUPPORTING 
TALKING POINTS REGARDING RETAINING THE ECONOMIC 
COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (ECE) AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR UN 
ROAD SAFETY ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO DUTCH 
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (MOT) WITH A COPY TO MFA MARCH 
17.   IN AN INITIAL REACTION OUR MOT INTERLOCUTOR SAID 
THAT THE DUTCH 
 
A)   APPLAUD THE GLOBAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO IMPROVING ROAD 
SAFETY AND REDUCING THE TRAFFIC-CRASH RELATED ECONOMIC 
IMPACT; 
B)   SEE THE UNECE'S WORKING PARTY.1 (WP.1) AS THE 
APPROPRIATE UN BODY TO ACT AS FOCAL POINT FOR ROAD TRAFFIC 
SAFETY EFFORTS; 
C)   RECOGNIZE UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL WP.1 
TASK ON CURRENT MANDATE FOCUSED ON VIENNA TREATIES; 
D)   RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR REFORMULATING THE MANDATE OF 
WP.1 TO REFLECT ITS GROWING GLOBAL ROLE; 
E)   INSIST THAT ADDITIONAL ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY TASKS FOR 
WP.1 NOT LEAD TO DETERIORATION OF ITS CURRENT MANDATE 
F)   WILL SUPPORT THE U.S. POSITION VIS-A-VIS SELECTION OF 
WP.1 AS THE ROAD SAFETY FOCAL POINT IN THE UNGA SESSION 
APRIL 14. 
 
2.  DUTCH PLAN TO ATTEND APRIL7 AND APRIL 14 EVENTS. 
OFFICIAL WRITTEN COMMENTS TO OUR DEMARCHE WILL BE 
FORWARDED WEEK OF MARCH 22.  DUTCH REACTIONS WILL BE 
PASSED AS SOON AS RECEIVED BY POST. 
(DRAFT:ECON:JRAZOUXSCHULTZ) 
RUSSEL