US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE2427

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, SY, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/SYRIA:  NO PLANS TO MEET AT UNGA 
 
REF: STATE 159137 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (S) On September 7, POLCOUNS delivered reftel points 
separately to Tessa Terpstra (Acting Syria/Lebanon Desk 
Officer, Dutch MFA) and Karel van Kesteren (Director of the 
MFA's Department of UN and International Financial 
Organizations Affairs.)  POLCOUNS also asked directly whether 
the Dutch anticipated any high-level contacts between the 
Dutch and Syrian delegations on the margins of UNGA. 
Terpstra and van Kesteren stressed that no such meetings were 
planned or expected.  They added that they would keep the 
U.S. points in mind should they receive a request from the 
Syrian side (which they did not anticipate.) 
 
2. (S) According to Terpstra, neither Dutch Prime Minister 
Balkenende nor Foreign Minister Bot has expressed interest in 
meeting their Syrian counterparts at this time.  (They do 
plan to meet, however, with counterparts from Oman, Qatar, 
and the UAE -- which Balkenende plans to visit later this 
fall -- as well as from Israel and the Palestinian 
Authority.)  Terpstra noted that the Dutch share the concerns 
raised in the demarche, and also see no reason to meet with 
the Syrians at a time when the EU's association agreement has 
"stalled" due to Syria's lack of cooperation.  Van Kesteren 
similarly stressed that the Dutch leaders had limited time 
and other, higher priorities for UNGA. 
BLAKEMAN