VZCZCXRO7136
PP RUEHAT
DE RUEHTC #1480/01 2221226
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101226Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM PRIORITY 3405
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9980
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1723
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1360
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 3766

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 001480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
H, RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OVIP ASEC FR GM NL OREP AMGT AFIN
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL BOUCHER 
(AUGUST 16 - 30) 
 
REF: SECSTATE 109940 
 
¶1.  Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to 
Rep. Rick Boucher, Chairman, House Energy and Commerce 
Committee (HENR), and his accompanying delegation visiting 
the Netherlands August 16-17, 2007. 
 
¶2.  Per previous e-mail correspondence, Post has arranged 
accomodations. 
 
¶3.  Embassy POC will be Economic OfficerGregg Myrup.  He can 
be reached at his direct telephone number (31) (70) 310-2342 
or his cell phone (31) (62) 030-1510; unclassified fax number 
is (31) (70) 310-2348.  Please remember that when dialing 
from inside the Netherlands, a zero (0) is used in front of 
the city code. 
 
POST ACCESS: 
 
¶4. Visitors who need unescorted access into secure areas of 
the Mission must provide proof of a clearance.  If level of 
clearance was not provided in the original country clearance 
request it should be done by separate cable.  The cable 
should include SSN, and the name of the agency granting the 
security clearance.  Cables must include the ASEC tag to 
ensure distribution to the RSO office. 
 
COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS USE: 
 
¶5. Inter-agency security standards prohibit the introduction 
or use of non-USG owned computer hardware and software at all 
USG diplomatic facilities.  Cell phones, palm pilots, radios 
and other convenience electronics are prohibited in all 
secure areas of the Mission. 
 
¶6.  Travelers who anticipate having special needs in terms of 
either access or computer usage should contact the RSO office 
before arriving at post. 
 
SECURITY ADVISORY: 
 
¶7. The Government of the Netherlands (GoN) assesses the 
threat level of a terrorist incident for The Netherlands as 
"substantial."  This is the second highest of four threat 
levels and is defined as a realistic threat that the 
Netherlands will experience a terrorist attack. GoN has 
implemented Counter-Terrorism and heightened security 
measures in response. 
 
¶8. US citizens in The Netherlands are encouraged to monitor 
media reports, to maintain a high level of vigilance and to 
take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. 
American citizens should bear in mind that even 
demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn 
confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. 
American citizens are urged to avoid areas of demonstrations 
if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity 
of any demonstrations. 
 
¶9. The U.S. Government remains deeply concerned about the 
heightened possibility of terrorist attacks against U.S. 
citizens and interests abroad.  As noted in the Department of 
State,s Worldwide Caution of October 11, 2006, terrorists do 
not distinguish between official and civilian targets.  Such 
targets may include facilities where U.S. citizens and other 
foreigners congregate or visit, including residential areas, 
clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels and 
public areas.  Terrorist actions may include, but are not 
limited to, suicide operations, assassination, hijackings, 
bombings or kidnappings.  These may involve aviation and 
other transportation and maritime interests. 
 
¶10. An area of concern for visitors to The Netherlands is 
crime.  Most crimes against officials Americans are limited 
to pick-pocketing and purse and luggage theft.  Theft from 
automobiles and hotel rooms are also on the rise.  Theft of 
laptop computers has increased, especially at Schiphol 
Airport and major train stations.  The thieves operate in 
small groups that target travelers.  They are determined and 
well-practiced at distraction theft.  Official travelers have 
been victimized, losing personal or unclassified government 
computers, software and data.  Travelers are reminded that 
regulations require the use of the diplomatic pouch for 
shipment of classified equipment and information. 
 
¶11. Streets can be walked in relative safety but, as in any 
U.S. urban area, caution and vigilance should be exercised 
 
THE HAGUE 00001480  002 OF 003 
 
 
especially after dark in the more populated cities of The 
Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  Red-light districts and 
public transportation hubs are common locations for incidents 
of street crimes. 
 
OVERVIEW OF THE NETHERLANDS 
 
¶12. The Netherlands is slightly less than twice the size of 
New Jersey and has a population of 16.3 million. The 
government is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral 
parliament.  Queen Beatrix is the titular head of state and 
has mostly ceremonial duties, but does retain some political 
influence.  Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende came to power 
in 2002, but his first cabinet lasted less than a year. 
After winning reelection, Balkenende built a center-right 
coalition that collapsed in August 2006, as it entered its 
fourth and final year in office.  Balkenende continues to 
govern with a minority government (comprised of his Christian 
Democratic (CDA) and the Liberal (VVD) parties).  Elections 
are scheduled for November 22 and are predicted to be a close 
race between Balkenende,s CDA and opposition Labor (PvdA) 
parties. 
 
¶13. The Dutch economy depends on trade; Amsterdam's Schiphol 
Airport (Europe,s fourth busiest) and the Port of Rotterdam 
(Europe,s largest) make the country a gateway to Europe. 
The Netherlands is the third largest source of foreign direct 
investment in the United States and is the third largest 
destination of foreign direct investment from the United 
States.  GDP is expected to grow by 2.5 to 3 percent in 2006, 
which puts the Dutch ahead of eurozone averages for the first 
time in seven years.  Unemployment has fallen to 5.5 percent. 
 
¶14. The Dutch generally take similar approaches to the U.S. 
on international security, human rights, free trade, and rule 
of law issues, although differences on specific policies are 
not uncommon. The Dutch are committed internationalists who 
support strong transatlantic ties through NATO and the 
further development of the European Union.  Long active in 
peacekeeping missions in the Balkans, Dutch military forces 
participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, made significant 
contributions to stabilization efforts as part of Operation 
Iraqi Freedom, and continue to take part in NATO's 
International Security Force in Afghanistan.  The Netherlands 
is also an international legal center and hosts the 
International Court of Justice, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal 
and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former 
Yugoslavia. 
 
¶15. The Netherlands is among the world's leading aid donors, 
giving about 0.8% of its gross national product  annually in 
development assistance, making it the sixth largest donor 
nation in dollar terms, and the fifth most generous relative 
to GNP. The country consistently contributes large amounts of 
aid through multilateral channels for education, the 
environment, water, AIDS, and reproductive health care.  The 
Dutch provided extensive material support and expertise to 
the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina thanks to 
centuries of experience in holding back the North Sea. 
 
¶16. The people of the Netherlands are predominantly ethnic 
Dutch but with large minority communities from Morocco and 
Turkey as well as from the Netherlands' current and former 
overseas territories of the Dutch Antilles, Suriname, and 
Indonesia. The influx of immigrants during the past three 
decades has been accompanied by increased social tensions 
between native-born Dutch and immigrant communities and led 
to growing debate about social integration and an increased 
emphasis on defining Dutch norms and values.  The Muslim 
community in the Netherlands is the second largest in Western 
Europe as a percentage of the population (6 percent).  The 
majority are immigrant "guest workers" and their descendants; 
roughly a third of the Muslim population is of Turkish 
descent, with another third of Moroccan descent.  In order to 
better explain our policies and gauge the Muslim community,s 
concerns, the embassy has placed a high priority on Muslim 
outreach. 
 
¶17. The U.S. Mission to the Netherlands, including the 
Embassy in The Hague and the Consulate General in Amsterdam, 
has employees from the Departments of State, Commerce, 
Agriculture, Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense, as well 
as DEA and NASA.  DHS,s Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
(ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maintain 
offices in Rotterdam and at Schiphol Airport.  The FBI legal 
attach and U.S. Secret Service Europol liaison are stationed 
in The Hague.  The Consulate General in Amsterdam serves a 
 
THE HAGUE 00001480  003 OF 003 
 
 
resident American population of 41,000 in addition to nearly 
one million U.S. visitors every year. 
 
The State Department,s Country Background Notes on the 
Netherlands are available on the internet: 
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3204.htm. 
 
SCHOFER 
GALLAGHER