US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE2724

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002724 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, VE, EU, NL 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ NOT INVITED TO THE 
HAGUE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 186100 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS Andrew J. Schofer for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
 1. (C) On October 7, POLOFF raised reftel concerns regarding 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's upcoming visit to Europe 
with Dimitri Vogelaar (Senior Desk Officer for Venezuela, 
MFA).  Vogelaar said he was aware that Chavez planned to 
attend the Ibero-American Summit in Salamanca, Spain.  He had 
also heard that Chavez might visit Paris and later attend a 
seminar on Latin American development in Lombardy, Italy. 
Vogelaar assured POLOFF that the Dutch have not invited 
Chavez to the Netherlands and do not expect him to visit The 
Hague. 
 
2. (C) POLOFF asked Vogelaar about Dutch FM Bot's planned 
visit to Venezuela.  Vogelaar responded that Bot had not yet 
received an official invitation from Chavez, but had been 
invited by Venezuelan VP Rangel for a meeting to be held on 
either October 19 or 20.  Although it was unclear whether Bot 
would meet with Chavez during the visit, Vogelaar said Bot 
planned in any case to deliver a tough message to the 
Venezuelans about their unacceptable meddling in Aruba and 
the Netherlands Antilles. 
BLAKEMAN