VZCZCXRO8988
RR RUEHAT
DE RUEHTC #0783/01 1170720
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270720Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8986
INFO RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM 2781
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1701
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 9301
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1688

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 000783 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R, H, EUR, EUR/PPD, EUR/UBI, ECA/P/A, ECA/PE/V/R/E, 
IIP/G/EUR, IIP/PUBP, IIP/G/CP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL SCUL NL
SUBJECT: NATIONWIDE OBSERVANCE OF DUTCH-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  The Embassy organized observances across the 
Netherlands April 16-24 marking Dutch American Friendship and the 
225th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.  The Embassy 
organized speeches, receptions and other celebrations in seven 
cities, including an event at parliament co-hosted by the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs at which Prime Minister Balkenende joined 
Ambassador Arnall in extolling the long friendship between our two 
countries.  Large receptions focusing on Dutch-American friendship 
were also held in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Leiden.  In addition, 
author Russell Shorto, an expert in the Dutch settlement of New 
York, spoke at five universities.  The festivities included a 
televised American football game at which Consul General Ames 
conducted the coin toss and gave remarks on our close ties with the 
Netherlands.  The Ambassador gave three interviews to national press 
and television during the week and a leading morning daily published 
his op-ed.  Taken together, the events constituted our most active 
week of public outreach in recent memory.  End Summary. 
 
----------- 
The Setting 
----------- 
 
¶2. The Embassy built the week's events around April 19, the 225th 
anniversary of the Dutch government's recognizing the U.S. and 
accepting John Adams as the first U.S. Ambassador to the 
Netherlands.  All events highlighted the passage of a Congressional 
resolution on March 12 that lauded Dutch American friendship.  It 
was introduced by Representatives Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) and Chris Van 
Hollen (D-MD), both of Dutch descent.  Following is a complete 
rundown of the week's events. 
 
--------- 
The Hague 
--------- 
 
¶3. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Embassy 
organized a high-profile program just steps away from where John 
Adams presented his credentials.  Both the Prime Minister and the 
Ambassador underscored our shared values in their speeches.  Prime 
Minister Balkenende declared, "We can still say today what John 
Adams said then.  That there is a natural alliance between the 
Netherlands and the United States - if ever one existed among 
nations."  Ambassador Arnall quoted John Adams' reflection over his 
success establishing diplomatic ties:  "I think that no opportunity 
will present itself for a Century to come, for striking a stroke so 
critical and of so extensive importance, in the political system of 
America."  U.S. Representatives Hoekstra and Van Hollen spoke via 
pre-recorded video messages. 
 
¶4. The guest list for the observance centered on Dutch alumni of 
U.S. exchanges, such as the International Visitor Leadership Program 
and Fulbright programs.  Prime Minister Balkenende told the audience 
of his International Visitor trip in 1985.  Over a hundred alumni 
attended, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen, an 
IV grantee in 1999, and Minister of Economic Affairs Maria van der 
Hoeven, an IV in 1995.  Dr. Barbara Oomen, who spoke at the 
observance, was the first Fulbright New Century Scholar from the 
Netherlands.  A Dutch musician who performed at the observance was a 
Fulbright scholar at Julliard.  Dutch wire service ANP and three 
newspapers covered the event. 
 
--------- 
Amsterdam 
--------- 
 
¶5. Four events celebrating Dutch American Friendship were held in 
Amsterdam with business and academic contacts as well as the general 
public.  First, on April 18, Ambassador Arnall spoke about diversity 
at a conference co-sponsored by ABN-AMRO, the largest bank in the 
Netherlands, and the Free University, one of the country's largest 
universities.  Second, on April 19, the American Chamber of Commerce 
and the John Adams Institute co-sponsored a discussion commemorating 
Dutch American Friendship Day.  Some 100 people attended.  Antoine 
van Agtmael, the renowned financial analyst who coined the term 
"emerging markets," noted that the U.S. was an emerging market when 
the Netherlands invested in it over 200 years ago.  In her speech 
Consul General Marjorie Ames said about our two nations: "Over the 
past two centuries we have dedicated ourselves to freedom, 
independence and economic development for ourselves and others." 
 
¶6. The third event was also on April 19.  The Amsterdam American 
Business Club hosted a dinner with the Schiphol Group, which manages 
Holland's largest airport.  Speakers included CG Ames, Schiphol 
Group CFO Pieter Verboom, and Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam Lodewijk 
Asscher.  Two hundred Dutch and American business and government 
officials attended.  Verboom noted that the Netherlands has often 
been the first nation to embark with the U.S. on a new venture (e.g. 
 
THE HAGUE 00000783  002 OF 003 
 
 
Open Skies) and announced that our two countries will soon launch 
the International Expedited Traveler Initiative, which would 
facilitate travel between the U.S. and the Netherlands.  Asscher 
explained that his strong affinity toward the U.S. originated with 
his father, who was liberated during WWII, and his having attended 
Columbia Law School.  He highlighted the shared values that underpin 
our relations. 
 
¶7. In the fourth event the Amsterdam Admirals, one of six NFL teams 
in Europe, dedicated their game on April 20 to Dutch American 
Friendship.  During the pre-game show the announcer commented on the 
long-standing ties between the U.S. and the Netherlands, and the 
Admirals featured the theme in the game program.  CG Ames gave 
opening remarks, performed the coin toss, and was escorted on and 
off the field by two Marines from the Embassy.  An Embassy official 
sang the Star Spangled Banner before 14,000 fans in the stands.  NFL 
TV broadcast the game nationwide in the U.S. 
 
--------- 
Rotterdam 
--------- 
 
¶8. On April 17, Mayor Ivo Opstelten hosted a reception for business 
and political contacts at City Hall.  Ambassador Arnall spoke about 
Dutch American friendship and the ties between Rotterdam and the 
U.S.  Our Foreign Commercial Service worked closely with city 
officials to prepare the event.  Guests viewed the embassy's 
PowerPoint presentation of 60 images and photographs depicting 
Dutch-American relations and milestones.  The attendees also toured 
a Holland America Line exhibition at the nearby Maritime Museum. 
 
------ 
Leiden 
------ 
 
¶9. On April 22, the organization Overseas Americans Remember, the 
City of Leiden, and the University of Leiden celebrated 
people-to-people ties between the countries.  The Charge, Consul 
General and 200 guests attended, including 50 who rode three hours 
from Limburg province where 8,301 American servicemen who died 
during World War II rest at the Netherlands American Cemetery and 
Memorial in Margraten. The Embassy provided banners as well as the 
images and photos used in Rotterdam and The Hague. 
 
------------------ 
Other Celebrations 
------------------ 
 
¶10. On April 16, Ambassador Arnall gave a presentation at Utrecht 
University College about Dutch American friendship.  The Embassy 
also arranged for Mr. Russell Shorto, author of "The Island at the 
Center of the World" and writer for the New York Times, to visit 
major universities in Utrecht, Amsterdam, Leiden, Groningen, and 
Nijmegen where he described to appreciative students and faculty how 
Dutch settlers and immigrants to America left an indelible influence 
on U.S. history and thought, particularly American conceptions of 
multiculturalism and diversity.  Mr. Shorto also spoke during the 
event at parliament on April 19.  The National Library of the 
Netherlands prominently displayed two documents at its library in 
The Hague: the Act of Friendship, April 19, 1782, signed by John 
Adams, and his request of April 19, 1781 to the Dutch for economic 
and moral support for the United States. 
 
-------------- 
Media Outreach 
-------------- 
 
¶11. Prior to Dutch American Friendship Day on April 19, Ambassador 
Arnall did three interviews on bilateral cooperation: an interview 
with RTL Television (largest commercial television news program; 
about one million viewers) that aired nine times April 18-20, and 
was excerpted in its prime-time evening news show on April 17 
(1,101,000 viewers); "De Telegraaf" (conservative morning daily; 
circ. 735,088) carried its full-page interview on April 21; "Het 
Parool" (centrist evening daily; circ. 65,000) carried a two-page 
spread with the interview on April 21.  "De Volkskrant" (influential 
liberal morning daily; circ. 278,922) published on April 21 a 
by-liner by Ambassador Arnall about Dutch-American historic ties. 
EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary Colleen Graffy, the senior visiting 
official from the Department on April 19, gave an interview to media 
outlets Netherlands World Service and Business News Radio. 
 
--------------- 
Acknowledgments 
--------------- 
 
¶12. Mission thanks the Washington File for Michael Jay Friedman's 
 
THE HAGUE 00000783  003 OF 003 
 
 
article about John Adams and the Dutch, which is available on our 
DAFD website.  We are also grateful to EUR/PPD and EUR/UBI for 
helping "the bonds of friendship linking the Dutch and American 
people continue to grow in strength and affection," as the House 
resolution proclaimed. 
BLAKEMAN