US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE206

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000206 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, NL, CU, EZ, EUN 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/CUBA/EU: STILL A CHANCE TO RESIST 
CHANGE IN EU POLICY 
 
REF: TRAUB/DODMAN EMAIL OF 1/28 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (b) a 
nd (d). 
 
1.  (C)  Dutch interlocutors informed Poloff on January 27 
that the Czech Republic continues to pose obstacles to 
implementing the COLAT's proposed revisions to the EU's 
strict "June measures" against the Cuban regime.  If the 
Czechs remain firm, this could make it difficult for the 
January 31 GAERC to adopt a more relaxed position on Cuba as 
an "A" point (i.e., without substantive discussion.)  Marion 
Kappeyne de Coppello (MFA, Director Western Hemisphere 
Affairs), told poloff that "the Czechs are being unhelpful" 
by refusing to go along with consensus, complaining that "it 
is not a good thing for the EU." She confirmed that the Dutch 
want to maintain the consensus they thought they had from the 
last COLAT meeting under their presidency in December and use 
the draft conclusion as it now stands. 
 
2.  (C)  Later the same morning at an official briefing to 
Australia, New Zealand and the USG on the GAERC, Derk 
Oldenburg (MFA, European Integration) confirmed that the 
Czechs were resisting the change in EU Cuba policy without 
giving specifics.  He added that many in the Netherlands, 
himself included, opposed the change in principal but it 
seemed inevitable.  His defense of the EU position was 
lackluster and he ruefully admitted to Poloff that the 
proposed GAERC conclusion lacked express caveats or 
benchmarks to measure improvements in Cuban behavior between 
now and the six month review deadline. This means, among 
other things, that there is no mention of releasing the 
remaining 64 prisoners whose arrest precipitated the "June 
measures."  (This failure to be explicit seems to lie behind 
the Czech objections to the current draft; ref email.) 
Poloff urged the Dutch to fall in behind the Czechs and vote 
their conscience at the GAERC. 
SOBEL