US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE1983

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001983 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/AND, WHA/PDA, AND EUR/UBI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KDEM, VE, KPAO, NL 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL REFERENDUM 
 
REF: STATE 168747 
 
Classified By: Pol Counselor Andrew Schofer for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Poloff met with MFA Venezuela Desk Officer Dimitri 
Vogelaar August 5 to discuss reftel message.  Vogelaar said 
that he was disappointed that the EU would not be able to 
send an observer mission to Venezuela, but stressed that the 
EU would remain involved "even without a European mission." 
He cited the Dutch EU Presidency's August 3 declaration (para 
3) -- which emphasized the importance of the recall 
referendum and voiced support for the mission of the Carter 
Center and OAS observers -- as proof of the EU's wish to play 
a positive role.  He added that the Dutch and EU had 
considered other ways of supporting the recall process, 
including through supporting civil society, but had concluded 
that Venezuelan NGOs have "limited resources and personnel" 
and are also "susceptible to government intimidation." 
Vogelaar said the Dutch Presidency shares U.S. concerns about 
reports of intimidation and threats against signatories of 
the "reparo," noting that some Venezuelans feared they would 
be fired from their jobs after signing the petition.  The 
Venezuelan NGO Sumate, he said, had been singled out for 
government intimidation, with the  GoV seizing upon Sumate's 
international ties to create a domestic "backlash" against 
it. 
 
2. (C) COMMENT: Public interest in Latin American politics in 
The Netherlands is limited, and we are aware of no Dutch NGOs 
currently involved in the Venezuelan recall referendum 
process.  Vogelaar's comments on the fate of Sumate reflects 
a general feeling here that international support to civil 
society before the referendum could "backfire," making the EU 
as a whole even less willing to take further action in 
Venezuela.  As EU president, the Dutch will continue to seek 
to develop a consensus position within the EU will avoid 
taking action outside the EU context.  END COMMENT. 
 
3. (U) Dutch EU Presidency Declaration released August 3 
follows. 
 
The European Union underlines the importance of the upcoming 
Presidential revocatory referendum in Venezuela on 15 August. 
 The EU considers the referendum as an important step towards 
a constitutional, democratic solution to the longstanding 
political crisis in Venezuela, as agreed in May 2003 by all 
parties concerned in line with resolution 833 of the OAS.  In 
this respect, the referendum is essential for restoring in 
Venezuela national reconciliation and democratic stability in 
a climate of mutual respect, tolerance and dialogue among all 
parties concerned, within the framework of the rule of law 
and democratic principles. 
 
The EU calls on all sides to ensure that the referendum is 
conducted in a transparent and fair manner, in line with 
international standards, and in an atmosphere of tranquility 
and restraint.  It expresses the hope that the electorate 
will actively participate in the process and that the final 
result will be respected by all sides. 
 
The EU regrets that it cannot deploy an observation mission 
to the referendum in Venezuela.  Unfortunately, it has not 
been possible to secure with the Venezuelan electoral 
authorities the conditions to carry out observation in line 
with the Union's standard methodology used in all countries 
where EU election observation missions are deployed. 
Nonetheless the EU expresses its support for international 
missions that will deploy observers to the forthcoming 
referendum, in particular the role of the Carter Centre and 
the OAS. 
 
End declaration. 
RUSSEL