US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE787

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 000787 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, PARM, PHUM, IZ, AF, IR, CH, NL 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MARCH 24 MEETING WITH DUTCH POLITICAL 
DIRECTOR: IRAQ, GME, EU, CHINA 
 
REF: A. THE HAGUE 766 (NOTAL) 
 
     B. STATE 62815 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD M. SOBEL FOR REASONS 1 
.5 (B AND D). 
 
 1. (C) Summary:  Ambassador Sobel met with Dutch MFA 
Political Director Hugo 
Siblesz on March 24.  They discussed Iraq, Afghanistan, the 
Greater Middle 
East, the March 22-23 EU GAERC meetings and China human 
rights issues.  Siblesz 
said a new UNSCR would help the government secure broad 
support for extending 
the Dutch Iraq deployment.  The Dutch are also considering a 
UN request to help 
provide security for its personnel in Iraq.  Siblesz will 
accompany FM Bot to Israel, Syria and Egypt from March 
29-April 2.  The Dutch 
stress that efforts should proceed simultaneously on reforms 
in the 
Greater Middle East and the Peace Process.  On EU issues, 
Siblesz advised that 
former Dutch State Secretary for Interior Gijs de Vries will 
be named 
EU counter-terrorism coordinator at the March 25-26 European 
Council meetings. 
EU trade discussions with Iran would not resume until the 
IAEA gives Iran a 
clean bill of health.  While the GONL has not taken a 
position, Siblesz reacted 
positively to the draft human rights resolution on China.  He 
also said that if 
the EU lifts its arms embargo against China it will seek to 
strengthen measures 
concerning China in its arms transfer code of conduct.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Iraq, Afghanistan 
----------------- 
 
2. (C) Concerning renewal of the current Dutch Iraq 
deployment, Siblesz said a 
new UNSCR was not a "100% requirement," but that it would be 
"psychologically 
important."  In the meantime, the Dutch are continuing with 
planning efforts to 
extend the deployment.  (Note:  the Dutch have approximately 
1300 troops in Al 
Muthanna Province as part of the UK-led Multi-national 
division SE.  The 
deployment is scheduled to end July 15.  End note.)   Citing 
Dutch practice of 
seeking broad parliamentary mandates for military 
deployments, Siblesz said a 
new UNSCR would help the government gain support from the 
main opposition Labor 
Party.  That said, renewal of the Dutch deployment without an 
UNSCR would be 
"difficult, but not impossible."  Siblesz advised that the 
Dutch were also 
looking at the possibility of providing some protection for 
UN personnel in Iraq. 
This was in response to a request in a March 15 meeting 
between PM Balkenende 
and UNSYG Annan in New York.  The Dutch might be interested 
in undertaking such 
a role along with other nations, including possibly outside 
of Al Muthanna 
Province.  This might be done in conjunction with a possible 
reduction of Dutch 
forces in Al Muthanna, if the situation there permitted.  On 
Afghanistan, 
Siblesz said the initial feedback from a recent MOD-MFA recce 
visit to explore 
options for a Dutch-led PRT had been positive (see also ref 
A).  One possible 
location may be Baghlan between Konduz and Kabul. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Greater Middle East, Peace Process 
---------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) Siblesz will accompany FM Bot on his March 29 - April 
2 trip to Israel, 
Syria and Egypt.  (Bot is scheduled to meet with PM Sharon 
and FM Shalom.)  He asserted that it would be difficult 
following the killing 
of Sheik Yassin for Arabs to claim some kind of ownership of 
the reform 
process.  He repeated previous Dutch points that work needed 
to be done 
simultaneously on both reforms in the Greater Middle East and 
the peace 
process.  He thought any unilateral Israeli withdrawal from 
the Gaza strip 
should come as part of a drive towards a wider solution, and 
suggested the EU 
might be willing to engage with funds if the withdrawal was 
done "in the proper 
context." 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
EU March 22-23 GAERC; counter-terrorism, Iran 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Siblesz said former Dutch State Secretary for Interior 
Gijs de Vries 
would be named the EU's counter-terrorism coordinator at the 
March 25-26 
European Council meetings.  De Vries would report to the 
Council through EU 
CFSP Chief Solana.  On Iran, Siblesz said the EU's Trade and 
Cooperation 
Arrangement (TCA) would not be resumed until Iran receives a 
clean bill of 
health from the IAEA, which he did not see as likely. 
Nevertheless, Siblesz 
expressed doubt the utility of the IAEA Board of Governors 
referring Iran to 
the UNSC following a non-compliance finding.  He said there 
was no plan for 
what would come after such a referral and the matter might 
stay stuck in the 
UNSC like North Korea.  He felt measures taken to date by the 
EU3 were "pretty 
tough," but was uncertain as to whether it might be possible 
to get the 
Iranians to relinquish their military program.  That said, he 
thought the 
current pressure on the Iranians was effective "judging from 
the complaints 
we're getting from the Iranians."  (Note:  Despite Siblesz's 
skepticism as to 
the value of referring Iran to the UNSC, MFA sources informed 
mission in 
February that FM Bot had determined the GONL was obliged by 
its November 2003 
stance to take a tough line in the IAEA on Iran, should 
evidence of new, 
serious failures to comply come to light.  End note.) 
 
----- 
China 
----- 
 
5. (C) Amb. Sobel raised ref B demarche concerning support 
for resolutions at 
the UN Human Rights Commission (Amb. Sobel had also conveyed 
demarche to FM Bot 
on March 23).  Siblesz said the GONL had not taken a position 
but that he 
thought the draft China resolution was one that the 
Netherlands could 
substantially subscribe to.  He noted that the Netherlands 
maintains a human 
rights dialogue with China which, he contended, delivers 
results.  He said 
though progress to date was not sufficient, there was no 
question that the 
human rights situation in China was improving as compared to 
the situation five 
or ten years ago.  Amb. Sobel asked whether action on the 
EU's China Arms 
Embargo might be deferred until the Dutch Presidency starts 
in July.  Siblesz 
said that while consideration had been deferred until after 
the Taiwan 
elections, he thought Chirac would raise the issue during the 
March 25-26 
European Council meetings.  Siblesz reiterated the Dutch 
preference to not be 
the only EU nation opposed to an embargo lift.  He also 
stated that the EU was 
looking at ways to strengthen its arms transfer code of 
conduct with respect to 
China and indicated that he would be open to input from the 
U.S. on how to strengthn the code of conduct. 
SOBEL 
SOBEL