VZCZCXRO7814
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHTC #1930/01 2971016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241016Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0594
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0215
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0655
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0099
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0214
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1735
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 4098
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0112
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2712
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 6671
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0317
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1733
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4997
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RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1380
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 4700
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY
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RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM PRIORITY 3796
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT PRIORITY 3806
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1392
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0566

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001930 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE (TSMITH), PRM/ANE (NHASTINGS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ PHUM PREF NL
SUBJECT: CONTRIBUTIONS FOR IRAQ REFUGEES AND IDPS: DUTCH 
RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 138123 
 
THE HAGUE 00001930  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE HANDLE 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY.  The Dutch are monitoring the Iraqi 
refugee situation closely but plan no additional assistance 
in the short term.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says this 
could change if the UNHCR shows results in the region and 
Iraq does more to help its own citizens.  Current Dutch 
contributions for the region total USD 17.2 million for 2006 
and 2007.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Econoff shared on October 15 reftel points 
regarding humanitarian assistance for Iraqi refugees and IDPs 
to Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials Peter Flik, 
Head of the Humanitarian Aid Division, and Petra Hofs, Policy 
Advisor in the same division.  In a subsequent discussion 
October 23, Hofs said the GONL monitored the situation 
closely and was aware of the challenges posed by IDPs and 
Iraqi refugees in the region.  Hofs noted that the GONL was 
already contributing in several ways, and therefore planned 
no additional pledges in short term.  Over the 2006-2007 
period, she explained, the GONL contributed 3.7 million euros 
(USD 5.3 million) to the following organizations: 
 
-- The International Organization for Migration, providing 1 
million euros (USD 1.4 million) in 2006 for Iraqi IDPs. 
 
-- The Netherlands Red Cross, providing 700,000 euros (USD 
1.0 million) in 2006 for medical supplies and hospitals in 
Iraq. 
 
-- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 
providing 1 million euros (USD 1.4 million) in 2007 for 
operations in Iraq. 
 
-- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), providing 1 
million euros (USD 1.4 million) in 2007 for operations in 
Iraq. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  According to Hofs, the GONL also assisted Iraqi 
refugees indirectly by supporting the following UN agencies 
active in the region: 
 
-- The UN Central Emergency Response fund, providing 40 
million euros (USD 57.1 million) annually of which USD 9.7 
million was allocated to the region over 2006-2007. 
 
-- The UN Children's Fund, providing 26 million euros (USD 
37.1 million) to the Education in Emergency program in 2006. 
Of this amount, USD 2.2 million was allocated to improve the 
education sector in Iraq. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The GONL also makes large unearmarked 
contributions to the UNHCR and ICRC annually, Hofs said, 
adding that these contributions could be used for needs such 
as those in Iraq.  For 2007, the GONL contributed 40.9 
million euros (USD 58.3 million) to the UNHCR and 25 million 
euros (USD 35.7 million) to the ICRC. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Hofs said the Dutch would consider additional 
contributions for Iraqi refugees under two conditions. 
First, if the UNHCR achieved substantial results, since it 
was operating under "difficult" conditions in the region; and 
 
THE HAGUE 00001930  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
second, if Iraq did more to support its own citizens.  The 
Dutch, she added, supported U.S. efforts to persuade Iraq to 
fulfill its USD 25 million pledge for refugee assistance made 
at the UNHCR Geneva Conference in April. 
Gallagher