US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2461

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002461 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER BALKENENDE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR 
SEVERAL MORE WEEKS 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1. (U) Prime Minister Balkenende has been in hospital since 
September 14 with a serious foot infection caused by 
streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria.  According to 
Government Information Service, Balkenende underwent two 
operations, and the wound is said to be healing well. 
Balkenende is now awaiting a skin-transplantation operation 
to cover the area that has been cut away, and the infection 
reportedly has been stopped.  It is expected that he will be 
indisposed for at least another few weeks. 
 
2. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Gerrit 
Zalm is acting Prime Minister, and has also taken over 
several of his EU Presidency responsibilities.  As acting 
Prime Minister, Zalm will receive President Musharraf of 
Pakistan on September 27, and may chair the ASEM Summit in 
Hanoi on October 8-9, although that remains undecided.  (It 
has also been suggested that Foreign Minister Bot or 
Luxembourg Prime Minister Junckers would fill the EU 
Presidency seat.)  As Finance Minister, Zalm will attend the 
annual meeting of the World Bank and IMF on October 
2-4.  Because of Balkenende's indisposition, the visit by 
Russian Prime Minister Fradkov to The Hague planned for 
September 29 has been canceled.  It is not yet known whether 
Balkenende will be able to receive Israeli Prime Minister 
Sharon on October 18, or whether the visit will be canceled. 
 
3. (SBU)  A member of Balkenende's staff (protect) told us 
recently that he may not return to work until late October. 
While his office believes he will be well enough to chair 
the EU Council meeting on November 5, they are not certain 
whether he will be able to travel to Rome on October 29 for 
the signing of the EU Constitutional Treaty. 
 
4. (SBU) Balkenende's illness also comes at an awkward time 
domestically.  He was unable to attend the traditional 
opening of Parliament by Queen Beatrix on September 21 -- 
the first time a sitting Prime Minister has failed to do so 
-- and will not be present to defend his government's budget 
in parliament this week.  At a time when the cabinet's 
austerity program is sparking strikes and demonstrations in 
Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague, and with one of his 
coalition partners (VVD) already in disarray, Balkenende's 
extended absence from public life cannot be helpful to a 
government whose long-term viability is already being 
questioned. 
 
Sobel