US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE3213

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 003213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PREL, NL, RS 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/RUSSIA: DUTCH SHARE CONCERN OVER DRAFT 
LAW ON NGOS IN RUSSIA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 212899 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) The Dutch share U.S. concerns regarding the draft NGO 
law under consideration by the Russian Duma and have raised 
the issue bilaterally and through European fora, according to 
MFA officials.  On November 28, EUR DAS Rosemary DiCarlo 
raised reftel points with MFA Director for Southeast and 
Eastern Europe Jan Lucas van Hoorn.  Van Hoorn stressed that 
the Dutch have the same critical view of the draft 
legislation as the U.S., and noted that the Dutch have 
expressed their concern directly in bilateral discussions 
with Moscow as well as via the EU. 
 
2. (C) Joris Geeven (Senior Policy Officer, Human Rights and 
Peacebuilding Department, MFA) further clarified to poloff on 
November 28 that the Dutch had worked with the UK Presidency 
to articulate an EU statement on the draft law, which UK 
Foreign Minister Straw recently presented to the Duma. 
Geeven explained that the statement acknowledges Russia's 
"need to combat extremism," but strongly conveys EU concern 
that the law will frustrate NGO activities.  Geeven added 
that the Dutch are particularly concerned with the draft law 
in light of Russia's upcoming term as President of the G-8. 
 
3. (C) Geeven predicted that, pursuant to what he perceived 
as a common procedure at the Kremlin, Putin will excise the 
most Draconian measures of the law in an effort to 
demonstrate his sensitivity to international criticism. 
Geeven postulated that the law in its final form will 
nonetheless severely constrain NGO activities in Russia. 
 
BLAKEMAN