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DE RUEHTC #0899/01 1311505
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111505Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9142
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 0096
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA IMMEDIATE 0101
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 2878
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 0814
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0479
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 4273

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 000899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EUN ETRD KPAL PREL EAID NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU: MAY 14-15 PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 60948 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE HANDLE 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  The GONL remains concerned about Sudan 
and will support EU sanctions if no UN sanctions are 
forthcoming.  The Dutch are also concerned about progress on 
EU-Russia cooperation.  They support an EU role in the 
International Compact with Iraq and Ahtisaari's 
recommendations for Kosovo.  The Dutch also support the EU 
Code of Conduct for development assistance but are concerned 
about the progress of Economic Partnership Agreement 
negotiations with Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific regions. 
The Dutch support existing targets for military rapid 
response over creation of new capacity.  On the EU 
constitution, the Dutch prefer reform of the Nice Treaty but 
do not see hope unless the German Presidency makes 
significant progress.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Poloff delivered reftel points May 5 to Rochus 
Pronk, Deputy European Correspondent, Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA).  Econoff subsequently met Pronk and Jan 
Klugkist of MFA's European Integration Department to discuss 
Dutch reactions. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Sudan: No GAERC Conclusions Expected 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Pronk said the Dutch do not expect GAERC to adopt 
conclusions on Sudan during the upcoming meeting.  Pronk said 
while the Dutch are willing to allow a little more time for 
the political process, their patience is "running out."  If 
the UN fails to adopt sanctions, then GONL favors EU 
sanctions, Pronk said.  Pronk added Minister for Development 
Cooperation Bert Koenders was on travel in Sudan, and that 
Minister for Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen would brief the 
GAERC on the visit. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Somalia: No Further Developments 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Pronk noted there were no "real" developments 
since the last GAERC meeting, and that no significant Council 
conclusions were expected.  GONL, Pronk said, remains 
concerned and continues to support EU efforts to find a 
political solution.  Pronk also reaffirmed GONL's support to 
the AU mission in Somalia. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Russia-EU Summit: Concern over New Framework Delay 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  There will be a prepatory session for the May 
17-18 summit, Pronk said.  During this session, members will 
discuss summit deliverables in the areas of economics and the 
rule of law, external security, education and culture, and 
regional subjects such as Kosovo, Iran, and Middle East peace. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  GONL, Pronk said, will express concern that the 
new framework for EU-Russia cooperation has not started.  The 
mandate for a new agreement with Russia does "not look good," 
he added, given the meat dispute between Russia and Poland. 
He also said GONL hopes the recent rioting by ethnic Russians 
in Estonia will not affect the summit, although it will 
effect the bilateral relationship between those two countries. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Iran: Solana-Larijani Meeting Not Productive 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU)  EU High Representative for Common Foreign and 
Security Policy and Secretary General for the Council of the 
EU Javier Solana will debrief GAERC on his April 25 meeting 
with Iranian National Security Council Chief Ali Larijani, 
Pronk said, and added "nothing productive" came out of the 
meeting.  Pronk noted GONL will continue to push for a 
diplomatic solution. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
THE HAGUE 00000899  002 OF 003 
 
 
Iraq: GAERC to Welcome Outcome from May 3-4 Meetings 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Pronk said the GAERC would adopt a conclusion 
welcoming the outcome of the May 3-4 International Compact 
with Iraq (ICI) signing and Neighbors Meetings in Egypt. 
GONL supports an active EU Presidency and Commission role in 
ICI, Pronk said. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Afghanistan: ESDP Mission to Start 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  An ESDP mission is "in the making," Pronk said. 
He added police reform is critical to increasing stability 
and that the Council would discuss how to set up the mission. 
 The current plan, Pronk said, is to start June 15 and reach 
full strength by November 15.  "Third countries" are also 
supporting the effort, Pronk added. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Middle East: Foreign Minister Verhagen to Visit Region 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Verhagen will visit the Middle East June 13-14, 
where he will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 
and Foreign Minister Abu Amr, Pronk said.  Pronk said he did 
not expect any major developments in either the GAERC or 
those meetings.  The GONL supports the Arab League's Peace 
Initiative, Pronk added. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Balkans: Serbia and Kosovo Developments 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Pronk said the GAERC would adopt a conclusion 
welcoming meetings with the Stability Pact for Southeastern 
Europe.  The Council was also considering further conclusions 
regarding Serbia and Kosovo. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  On Kosovo, Pronk said GONL supported Ahtisaari's 
recommendations on the status of Kosovo and that a discussion 
of the April 24-29 Security Council trip to Kosovo would be 
on GAERC's agenda.  Pronk added the GONL intended to 
contribute 40-60 police to the ESDP mission and would discuss 
further cooperation with NATO. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Pronk noted GAERC would discuss, over lunch, the 
5 Bulgarian nurses held in Libya.  He said the nurses, and a 
Palestinian assistant, are in prison under "difficult 
circumstances" and that the EU Commission is leading 
negotiations to secure their freedom.  A report on the "state 
of play" would be provided during the GAERC, Pronk added. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Defense: No New Rapid Response Capacity 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  The GAERC, Pronk said, will discuss military 
capacity and efforts to achieve the 2010 Headline Goal. 
Meanwhile, he added, Germany -- together with future 
Presidency countries Portugal, and Slovenia -- will be 
examining military rapid response.  The GONL, Pronk said, 
supports this exam but prefers reaching targets set forth in 
the existing rapid response framework rather than the 
creation of new capacity. 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  Pronk said the GAERC will adopt a conclusion on 
improving crisis management.  The Dutch support strengthening 
and deepening the relationship between the EU and UN, he 
said.  The EU's mission to reform the Congolese army and 
security sector will be extended and expanded from Kinshasa 
to all of Congo, Pronk said. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
Development: EPAs, Code of Conduct, and the UN Aid Target 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶16.  (SBU)  Klugkist said the Commission is currently 
negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with 6 
African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) regions to replace the 
current regime -- established under the Contonou agreement 
 
THE HAGUE 00000899  003 OF 003 
 
 
and Lome Convention -- that is not WTO-compliant.  The GONL, 
Klugkist said, supports EPAs that are development friendly, 
allow "space" for national development policies, and offer 
the ACP more benefits than received by the EU. This must be 
accomplished by January 1 2008, Klugkist said, when the WTO 
waiver expires.  The GONL parliament, he added, is concerned 
the EPAs will not be completed on schedule and is 
recommending a post summer assessment on the feasibility of 
meeting the January 1 deadline.  Klugkist said Africa has the 
greatest challenges, as two regions -- Central and Eastern 
Africa -- have little to no experience with the regional 
integration required for an EPA. 
 
¶17.  (SBU)  The GONL supports the EU Code of Conduct for 
development assistance, Klugkist said, because the program 
provides guidelines on how to execute development programs 
in-country and encourages cooperation and a "division of 
labor" between donor countries.  For example, it recommends 
limiting EU donors to no more than 3 per sector and the 
delegation of aid funds to a "leading donor" to leverage 
strengths and reduce coordination costs.  This is part of the 
Paris Agreement, he added, and a good example of how the EU 
is taking steps toward improving the quality of aid. 
 
¶18.  (SBU)  On aid levels, Klugkist said the EU agreed to 
budget 0.7 percent of GNP to aid by 2017, with an interim 
target of 0.42 percent by 2006.  He noted the EU has achieved 
this target, and is on track to achieve its 2010 interim 
target.  GONL is already over the final target, and is 
currently contributing over 0.8 percent, Klugkist added, and 
said the Dutch support discussions to develop a plan beyond 
¶2017. 
 
¶19.  (SBU)  Klugkist said there would be a presentation on 
the "state of play" on an EU-Africa strategy at the GAERC 
meeting.  The EU, he added, is looking for an agreement with 
Africa by the Lisbon Summit at the end of 2007. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
EU Constitution: Dutch Support Reform of the Nice Treaty 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶20.  (SBU)  Regarding the future path of the EU Constitution, 
Pronk said the GONL would prefer a reform of the Nice Treaty. 
 If there is "not enough" agreement under the German 
Presidency, he added, Portugal would "not be able to" 
continue the Constitutional discussion. 
ARNALL