US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE831

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UBI/HOLLIDAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, ECON, NL, SU 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: DEMARCHE ON THE OSLO DONORS 
CONFERENCE ON SUDAN, APRIL 11-12 
 
REF: SECSTATE 56724 
 
1.  Econ officer delivered reftel demarche points to Stella 
Kloth, Sudan desk officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
 Kloth responded that Minister of Development Assistance 
Agnes van Ardenne would be leading the Dutch delegation to 
the Oslo conference, but was not able to inform post of any 
potential Dutch pledges. 
 
2.  Minister van Ardenne has taken a personal interest in 
Darfur and the North-South peace agreement.  On March 31 she 
will make her second trip to Sudan in three months (she also 
attended the peace agreement signing in January 2005). 
Between March 31 and April 3 Minister van Ardenne will visit 
Darfur and urge the government and rebels to resume peace 
talks in Abuja.  She will also meet with AU and GOS officials 
in Khartoum. 
 
3.  The Dutch report that in 2004 the Netherlands contributed 
54.2 million Euros (USD 67.6 million) for the Darfur crisis 
and North-South peace process. In 2005 the GONL has budgeted 
23 million Euros (USD 29 million) for humanitarian 
assistance.  The Dutch and UK have recently opened joint 
offices in Rumbek, which will transfer to Juba when the South 
Sudanese government moves there.  The Dutch are considering 
expanding aid to the South next year. 
RUSSEL