US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE3037

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 003037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, MARR, AF, NL 
SUBJECT: DUTCH POLDIR ON AFGHANISTAN, FORUM FOR THE FUTURE, 
ICC, AND IRAN 
 
REF: A. THE HAGUE 2988 
     B. HAGUE-STATE E-MAIL.11/8/05 
 
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Chat Blakeman, reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with Charge on November 8, Dutch 
POLDIR Hugo Siblesz confirmed that Defense Minister Kamp is 
driving the review of Dutch commitments to ISAF Stage III and 
stressed that additional support from partners -- including 
the U.S. -- will be critical to a successful Dutch deployment 
to Uruzghan.  The Dutch intend to remain actively involved in 
determining how its contribution to the Foundation for the 
Future is spent.  Siblesz said that the Dutch find the U.S. 
position on a draft ICC UN resolution reasonable.  On Iran, 
he expressed frustration with the EU's inability to deal with 
provocative Iranian actions and described recent GAERC 
discussions of the topic as "rough."  End SUMMARY. 
 
AFGHANISTAN:  HELP US 
--------------------- 
 
2. (C) Noting that SACEUR was in The Hague that day for 
high-level consultations on Afghanistan, Charge asked Siblesz 
for his views on the internal Dutch discussion on ISAF Stage 
III participation.  Siblesz said that he was "more 
optimistic" this week than previously, but made clear that 
the Dutch viewed the consultations with SACEUR as a critical 
step in determining whether and in what capacity the Dutch 
would participate.  In response to Charge's question, Siblesz 
confirmed that the Foreign Ministry and uniformed military 
remained committed to the Uruzghan mission, while Minister of 
Defense Kamp had expressed strong personal reservations based 
on his reading of reports from Dutch military intelligence 
(MIVD). 
 
3. (C) Siblesz noted that he had just come from a meeting 
between Foreign Minister Bot and Defense Minister Kamp on 
Afghanistan.  He stressed that the Dutch recognized the 
importance of ISAF Stage III as a test for NATO and wanted it 
to succeed.  The intelligence depicting Uruzghan as a 
"Taliban heartland," however, coupled with the anticipated 
OEF drawdown from Zabul and the two northern fire bases in 
Uruzghan province raised serious concerns.  Siblesz said the 
Dutch had secured additional contributions from the Canadians 
and thought they were making progress with the British. 
While the Australians had been "flabbergasted" by the 
apparent Dutch turnabout, according to Siblesz, he felt they 
would hold off on changing their plans until the Dutch sorted 
out their situation.  Eventually, he stressed, the U.S. would 
almost certainly also be asked to make additional commitments 
-- including maintaining current deployments in the region -- 
to support the Dutch mission. 
 
FORUM FOR THE FUTURE:  STRINGS FIRMLY ATTACHED 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
4. (C) Charge expressed appreciation for the Dutch decision 
to commit USD 1 million to the Foundation for the Future. 
Siblesz stressed that this contribution came with strings 
attached -- i.e., the Dutch want to be actively involved in 
determining how the money is spent.  Charge asked whether the 
Dutch still had Morocco/North Africa specifically in mind; 
Siblesz replied that the Dutch now felt that these areas were 
sufficiently covered by other EU programs and wanted to focus 
more on the Gulf.  Charge urged the Dutch to participate 
actively in the upcoming Forum for the Future meeting in 
Bahrain. 
 
ICC:  WE LIKE YOUR TONE 
----------------------- 
 
5. (C) Siblesz said that, after a conversation with EUR AS 
Fried over the weekend, he had been in touch with Dutch 
Permrep to the UN Frank Majoor regarding the draft resolution 
on the ICC.  Siblesz stressed that he and Majoor agreed that 
the U.S. position presented a viable way forward, provided 
all could agree on the "right language."  He said that Majoor 
would work for a productive outcome during the upcoming 
debate. 
 
IRAN: GRUMBLING IN THE TRENCHES 
------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) On Iran, Siblesz noted that it had been a "major 
topic" of discussion during the November 7 GAERC, and 
stressed that debate had been "rough."  He claimed that the 
Dutch had been instrumental in getting language into the 
GAERC conclusions holding Iran responsible for its actions. 
It was clear, he added, that the EU as a whole still favors 
engagement with Iran, but there is no consensus on how to 
engage given Iran's provocative behavior.  Siblesz observed 
that the EU at 25 is really not very well prepared to deal 
with such a sensitive and complicated topic.  In the 
Netherlands, he added, parliamentary pressure on the 
government is building to take a harder line on Iran. 
BLAKEMAN