US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2172

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/IRAQ: BOT VISITS BAGHDAD, PUSHES FOR 
GREATER EU ROLE 
 
REF: THE HAGUE 1935 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS ANDREW J. SCHOFER FOR REASONS 1.4(B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Dutch Foreign Minister Bot's November 29 
visit to Iraq will hopefully spur the EU to take a more 
active role in Iraq, according to an MFA interlocutor who 
participated in the trip.  An EU "exploratory commission" 
tasked with developing concrete proposals for supporting 
reconstruction and security in Iraq traveled to Iraq with 
Bot; its preliminary findings will be briefed to the upcoming 
Gymnich (informal) meeting of EU foreign ministers.  Bot 
reportedly was favorably impressed by his Iraqi contacts, 
especially PM Allawi, whom Bot invited to address the EU 
Council meeting in November.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) On August 31, Michiel den Hond, Director of the Dutch 
MFA's Office of North African and Middle Eastern Affairs, 
briefed POLCOUNS on Foreign Minister Bernard Bot's August 29 
visit to Baghdad.  According to den Hond, the short visit 
(six hours, all in the "green zone") succeeded in its prime 
objective of encouraging the EU to take a more active, 
constructive role in Iraq.  Den Hond identified the areas in 
which the EU could play a useful role as:  election support; 
rule of law; civil administration; and security (including 
police training). 
 
3. (C) Bot traveled to Iraq with an EU "exploratory 
commission" chaired by Dutch MFA Deputy Political Director 
Hermann Schaaper (reftel) and including representatives of 
the European Commission and European Council Secretariat. 
This commission is tasked with assessing where and how the EU 
should concentrate its efforts most effectively and 
developing specific recommendations.  Den Hond noted that 
while the EU had agreed in July to take a more "positive" 
approach to Iraq, the European Commission and Council 
Secretariat had been reluctant to travel to Iraq or even do a 
 
SIPDIS 
practical assessment until Bot's trip.  By accompanying the 
exploratory commission personally to Baghdad, he noted, Bot 
gave it political credibility and also a sense of urgency. 
The commission remained in Iraq for three days and is 
expected to report its preliminary findings to the September 
3-4 Gymnich meeting.  Den Hond observed that even if the 
exploratory commission is not prepared to issue a formal 
report at the Gymnich, Bot would be prepared to present his 
own "informal" views and recommendations on the basis of his 
visit and readouts from Dutch participants. 
 
4. (C) Den Hond said that Bot had been very favorably 
impressed by his Iraqi interlocutors, which included PM 
Allawi, President Al-Yawar, and Foreign Minister Zebari. 
(Bot also met UN representative Mountain.)  Allawi in 
particular appeared to be comfortable in his role as a 
self-assured "man of power" who intended to realize Iraq's 
full potential, den Hond said.  Den Hond added that while it 
was encouraging to see Iraqis taking charge of their own 
country, some of Iraq' neighbors might not view Allawi's 
ambitions so favorably.  The EU, he said, was already 
beginning to work with neighboring states to minimize such 
concerns and encourage regional cooperation.  Bot formally 
invited Allawi to attend the European Council meeting on 
November 5.  Den Hond said that Allawi's anticipated presence 
at this meeting would hopefully spur the EU to move quickly 
to formalize its program for supporting Iraqi reconstruction. 
 
RUSSEL