This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001693 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2010 
TAGS: ETTC PREL ETRD SR NL EUN
SUBJECT: DUTCH DISCOURAGED ABOUT EU EFFORT TO DEFINE FRY 
WHITE LIST 
 
REF: SECSTATE 103909 
 
 
 CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS STEPHEN R. KELLY; REASONS 1.5 (B,D). 
 
 
1.(C) SUMMARY:  DUTCH MFA OFFICIALS ARE DISCOURAGED AT THE 
VERY SLOW AND POOR QUALITY EU EFFORT TO DEFINE A FRY WHITE 
LIST TO BUTTRESS THE SANCTIONS REGIME.  THEY NOTE A CLEAR 
LACK OF FRENCH, ITALIAN AND GREEK EFFORT TO MEET EU POLITICAL 
COMMITMENTS TO DEFINE A MEANINGFUL LIST AND EXPECT THE END 
PRODUCT TO BE OF QUESTIONABLE REAL ENFORCEMNT VALUE. 
NEVERTHELESS, THEY SAY THEY ARE AT LEAST RELIEVED THAT THE EU 
IS NOT NOW ARGUING ABOUT HOW TO DISMANTLE THE "ENERGY FOR 
DEMOCRACY" PROGRAM.  THEY CAUTION THAT, SHOULD THE TENSION IN 
BELGRADE SOON SUBSIDE, STRONG EU MEMBER STATE PRESSURE TO 
WATER DOWN FINANCIAL SANCTION EFFORTS AND THE OIL DELIVERY 
BAN WILL START REAPPEARING IN EU PROCEEDINGS. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
2.(C)  IN 6/5 DISCUSSIONS WITH MFA BALKANS OFFICE AND EU 
AFFAIRS OFFICIALS, THE DUTCH EXPRESSED A BROAD 
DISSATISFACTION WITH THE EU'S EFFORT TO DEFINE A FRY 
SANCTIONS "WHITE LIST." THEY CONCUR THAT THE EUROPEAN 
COMMISSION IS SEVERELY UNDER-RESOURCED TO PERFORM THE TASK, 
BUT SEE THAT STAFFING OBSTACLE AS SECONDARY TO GENERAL EU 
MEMBER STATE RELUCTANCE TO PROVIDE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS 
THAT MATCH POLITICAL COMMITMENTS.  MFA EU COORDINATION 
OFFICIALS STATED THAT, WHILE IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE EU 
AT LEAST IS EMBARKING ON A SANCTIONS REGIME, THERE IS STILL 
BROAD TENSION BETWEEN MANY MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION 
OVER THE QUESTION OF WITH WHOM GENERAL ENFORCEMENT 
IMPLEMENTATION POWERS LIE.  TO THIS THEY ADD THAT THERE IS 
LITTLE REAL CONSENSUS TO ADD TEETH TO THE POLITICAL 
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE EU FRY SANCTIONS REGIME.  THE DUTCH 
REPORT A CONTINUING CORE OF UK/NL RESOLVE TO PUSH FOR A 
COMMISSION-LED EU SANCTIONS REGIME THAT FINANCIALLY PRESSURES 
MILOSEVIC.  ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY ARE TO QUICK TO NOTE 
THEIR EFFORTS ARE OFFSET BY BROAD EU SLUGGISHNESS ON THE 
QUESTION AND ANIMOSITY TO SUCH STEPS BY PARIS, ROME AND 
ATHENS. 
THE DUTCH ALSO FREELY CONCEDE THAT EVEN THEY LACK THE 
PERSONNEL TO DO MUCH MORE ON SANCTIONS ENFORCEMENT THAN THEY 
ALREADY DO.  THEY SAY THAT THEY CANNOT EASILY SURGE BEYOND 
THE 3-4 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS THAT THEY JOINTLY DEDICATE TO 
THE EFFORT BETWEEN THE FOREIGN, FINANCE AND COMMERCE 
MINISTRIES. 
 
 
3.(C)  AS A CASE IN POINT, DUTCH OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT THE 
DUTCH AND UK STRONG VETTING EFFORTS ON THE WHITE LIST. THE UK 
HAS DEMARCHED EU STATES TO WORK HARD TO MEET THE JUNE 30 
DEADLINE AND PRESENT CREDIBLE CANDIDATE BUSINESSES. THE DUTCH 
SAY THAT THEY HAVE ONLY SUBMITTED TWO NAMES FOR COMMISSION 
CONSIDERATION FOR THE WHITE LIST.  UNDERCUTTING THIS 
SERIOUSNESS OF APPROACH, THEY REPORT THAT STOCKHOLM HAS 
SUBMITTED A SLATE OF 2,500 TO 3,000 CANDIDATE COMPANIES WHILE 
PARIS' SUBMISSIONS WERE MEASURED IN WEIGHT, COMING IN AT 
25-30 KILOS. 
 
 
4.(C)  ACCORDINGLY, THE DUTCH PREDICT THAT THE JUNE 20 REVIEW 
MEETING SET TO ORGANIZE THE JUNE 30 ANNOUNCEMENT LIKELY WILL 
OVERSEE COMPILATION OF A POORLY VETTED LIST THAT MEETS THE EU 
POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO DEFINE SUCH A PRODUCT, BUT WHICH WILL 
LACK CREDIBILITY AS A REAL ENFORCEMENT TOOL. 
 
 
5.(C)  SEVERAL MFA OFFICIALS FAMILIAR WITH RECENT EU 
DELIBERATIONS ON THE BALKANS AND SANCTIONS HAVE MADE CLEAR 
THE LIMITS THAT THEY PERCEIVE THE EU IS REACHING ON BALKANS 
SANCTIONS.  THEY COMMENT THAT, WHILE EU LEADERS POLITICALLY 
WOULD FEEL VULNERABLE IF THEY SAID NOTHING IN THE FACE OF 
BELGRADE'S ONGOING REPRESSION, THERE IS STILL NO BROAD EU 
RESOLVE TO MATCH WORDS WITH ENFORCEMENT DEEDS.  THEY ADD THAT 
UNTIL THAT RESOLVE MATERIALIZES IT IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT OF 
TRYING TO SECOND PERSONNEL TO THE COMMISSION OR CHIP IN FROM 
SCARCE NATIONAL RESOURCES WITH VETTING THE WHITE LIST DRAFT. 
 
 
6.(C) COMMENT: DESPITE THE GENUINE DUTCH DISCOURAGEMENT OVER 
DEFINING THE WHITE LIST, THEY STILL CAUTIOUSLY IMPLY THAT THE 
U.S. MIGHT CONSIDER BEING GLAD FOR WHAT WE HAVE: THAT IS, 
THE MOMENTARY ABSENCE OF AN ALL-OUT EU DRIVE TO DISMANTLE THE 
EXISTING FRY SANCTIONS REGIME.  THEY SIGNAL THAT WE SHOULD 
NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW CLOSE TO THE SURFACE THOSE SENTIMENTS 
ARE IN EUROPE.  IT IS PROBABLY WORTH NOTING THAT THE DUTCH 
ALSO SEEM TO BE TIRING OF WADING UPSTREAM AGAINST A STRONG 
CURRENT OF FRENCH, ITALIAN AND GREEK NEGATIVE SENTIMENT. IT 
IS CLEAR THAT, IN DISCUSSIONS OF EU FRY SANCTIONS 
DELIBERATIONS, THEY ALSO ARE TAKING PAINS TO DEFLECT 
ANTICIPATED U.S. PRESSURE AWAY FROM THE HAGUE.  END COMMENT. 
FENDRICK