US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE690

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000690 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, MARR, IZ, NL 
SUBJECT: DUTCH PM BALKENENDE'S WASHINGTON VISIT BOLSTERS 
GOVERNMENT STANCE ON IRAQ TROOP RENEWAL 
 
REF: STATE 56282 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DANIEL R. RUSSEL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B 
 AND D) 
 
 1.  (C) Summary:  The main Dutch opposition politician 
Wouter Bos has inflamed the debate over extending the Dutch 
troop deployment in Iraq by publicly opposing its renewal 
after July.  However, spokespersons for the three governing 
coalition parties stated they were inclined to support 
renewal and all strongly criticized Bos, saying the timing of 
his comments so soon after the March 11 Madrid attacks sent 
"the wrong signal."  Meanwhile, PM Balkenende's March 16 
meeting the President received positive initial coverage in 
the Dutch media, which noted favorably the President's 
understanding for the Dutch decision making process on 
deployments, and broadly criticized Bos's position in favor 
of withdrawal.  GONL contacts advise us that an additional UN 
Security Council resolution covering the coalition troop 
presence in Iraq, while not legally necessary, would be 
helpful in building consensus for a further Dutch renewal. 
End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Wouter Bos, leader of the main opposition Labor Party, 
stated publicly on March 15 that the Netherlands should not 
renew its deployment in Iraq beyond its scheduled expiration 
on July 15.  (Note:  the Netherlands has approximately 1100 
troops in Al Muthanna province as part of the UK's 
Multi-National Division SE.  End note.)  The foreign policy 
spokespersons of the three government coalition parties, the 
Christian Democrats, the Liberals and the Liberal Democrats, 
all stated they are inclined to support an extension of the 
Dutch deployment and criticized Bos, saying such calls so 
soon after the March 11 attacks in Madrid sent the "wrong 
signal."  Bos responded on March 16 claiming his stance was a 
consistent one, as the Labor Party had argued in December for 
"further internationalization of the military force under a 
UN flag."  He said the Labor Party would be ready to talk 
about an extension in Iraq, "if there were to be a 
full-fledged UN mandate."  Bos denied the timing of his 
remarks were connected to the Madrid attacks, saying he had 
chosen the moment in view of PM Balkenende's March 16 meeting 
with the President, and claiming the cabinet was planning to 
"commit prematurely" to renewing the deployment and thus 
remove any "incentive to the Americans to give the UN a lead 
role."  Bos's views have been unanimously criticized on the 
editorial pages of leading Dutch papers.  Notably, the 
center-left Volkskrant, which is normally supportive of the 
Labor Party, called the timing of Bos's comments "very bad 
indeed." 
 
3. (C) PM Balkenende's press availability with President Bush 
following their March 16 meeting received generally positive 
initial coverage in the Dutch media.  Balkenende, who had 
been portrayed unflatteringly in his previous meeting with 
the President, was given credit by Dutch Washington 
correspondents for appearing more natural on the world stage. 
 Dutch media reported that the President did not push 
Balkenende on extending the deployment of Dutch troops in 
Iraq  because "he understood the decision making process in 
the Netherlands."  GONL contacts said the President's appeal 
to the Dutch people who might oppose further deployment to 
"think about Iraqi citizens who don't want them to withdraw" 
was particularly helpful. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  Notwithstanding Bos's protests, we judge he 
is trying to make political gains from the Spanish elections. 
 The GONL has already begun to lay the groundwork with 
parliament for extending the deployment and will continue 
this work.  Balkenende and the President's handling of the 
extension issue has strengthened the government's hand in the 
debate.  Nevertheless, the Dutch place a high premium on 
achieving consensus on all military deployments among the 
major parties, to include the principal opposition.  While 
the GONL takes the position that another UNSCR covering the 
presence of coalition troops is not legally necessary, there 
is no doubt it would be helpful in achieving a political 
consensus in the Netherlands when the government position is 
put before parliament -- probably in April or May.  End 
comment. 
RUSSEL