US embassy cable - 03THEHAGUE1890

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001890 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, MNUC, NL, EUN 
SUBJECT: CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE: PROPOSED 
RADIOLOGICAL PORTAL AGREEMENT CATAPULTED INTO PUBLIC 
ATTENTION 
 
REF: State 213786 
 
1.  Finance Minister Zalm's "agreement" with U.S. 
authorities regarding installation of radiological detectors 
in the port of Rotterdam received prominent attention in the 
afternoon (7/24) and morning (7/25) Dutch media.  According 
to the press, Zalm expects he can soon launch the new 
security measures but has first to discuss the matter with 
shipping companies that utilize the Rotterdam port. 
Ministry of Finance press spokesmen are directly quoted in 
defense of the initiative noting that that the detection 
devices can " prevent the smuggling to the U.S. of material, 
which may be used for the production of nuclear weapons and 
that  "shipping will hardly be delayed."  In response to one 
newspaper's report that the Netherlands will bear the costs 
of the equipment, Zalm's spokesman emphasized that, usually, 
"the minister does nothing for free" implying that the Dutch 
may in return ask for U.S. support on other issues.  The 
press also carried comments from a spokesman for EU 
Commissioner Bolkestein suggesting that the matter is more 
properly handled in a U.S.-EU context under the umbrella of 
the European-American Customs Agreement. 
 
2. Comment:  Officials from the Ministry of Finance and 
other government agencies we contacted today had been caught 
by surprise by the breaking of this story.  They have not 
yet been given instructions regarding conclusion and 
implementation of final agreement on the portals and were 
unwilling to speculate on a possible timetable.  Dutch 
officials had previously indicated their preference for a 
low-key approach in order to minimize the possibility of 
conflict with the European Commission over competence. 
 
Russel