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RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
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RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2012

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU: DUTCH VIEWS ON THE JUNE GAERC 
AGENDA 
 
REF: A. GIAUQUE EMAIL 06-04-2009 
     ¶B. MANN-FLACKS EMAIL 06-10-2009 
     ¶C. THE HAGUE 307 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY/BACKGROUND: The Dutch views on the economic 
crisis, EU institutions, climate change negotiations, 
Russia-Ukraine gas, the Western Balkans, the Middle East 
Peace Process, Syria, Cuba, and Sudan are described in the 
following paragraphs.  MFA officials Rochus Pronk and Peter 
Jan Kleiweg briefed local diplomats on June 10 (views below). 
 Post conveyed Department's priorities (ref A) to Pronk and 
other key contacts at the MFA.  Post will separately submit a 
summary of the MFA's June letter to parliament on the GAERC 
agenda.  END SUMMARY/BACKGROUND. 
 
¶2. (SBU) VIEWS FROM THE DUTCH MFA STAFF: 
-- Economic Crisis: The Dutch welcomed news that EU stimulus 
efforts will reach 5% of GDP (Note: This refers to the 
provisional conclusions of the June 8-9 ECOFIN meeting.  End 
Note.)  During the meeting of the European Council June 
18-19, PM Balkenende will call for members to keep in mind, 
as they respond to the crisis, their obligation to manage 
their budgets properly.  Ministers will likely take up the 
situation of Latvia, which may require additional budget 
support.  The Dutch were pleased to see Iceland meeting 
deposit guarantees, which otherwise would be a difficult 
issue when Iceland submits its EU membership application 
later this summer. 
 
-- EU institutions: The Dutch previously announced their 
support for another term for European Commission President 
Barroso. 
 
-- Climate Change Negotiations: The Dutch continue to aim for 
"ambitious" results. 
 
-- Russia-Ukraine gas: The European Council will take up PM 
Putin's proposal that the EU provide 5 billion euros for 
Ukraine to purchase Russian gas to build up its reserves.  As 
well as the political and economic ramifications of this 
idea, the EU would have to address legal and institutional 
issues involved in providing such significant assistance to a 
non-EU member.  The EU is sending a fact-finding mission to 
Ukraine to learn more. 
 
-- Western Balkans: The Dutch continue to oppose closer EU 
ties with Serbia and Croatia until those nations fully 
cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the 
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).  Recent reports by ICTY prosecutor 
Brammertz have shown some progress, but not full cooperation. 
 Regarding the Slovenia-Croatia dispute, the Dutch see the 
matter as a bilateral concern but will support efforts by the 
parties to resolve the matter.  The Dutch "will not take 
sides."  Regarding Bosnia, the majority of the Dutch 
parliament supports an EU Stabilization and Association 
Agreement.  Ministers in Brussels will take up the issue of 
how to meet the "5 2" criteria and subsequently close the 
Office of the High Representative. 
 
-- Middle East Peace Process: FM Verhagen will brief the 
Dutch parliament June 11, noting that there has been a lot of 
movement in the region, with the speech by President Obama, 
travel by Special Envoy Mitchell, and the upcoming speech by 
PM Netanyahu.  Verhagen will encourage the parliament to be 
prepared to support a final status agreement. 
 
-- Syria: The Dutch would like to see more progress on human 
rights and democracy efforts before approving a EU-Syria 
association agreement. 
 
-- Cuba: The Dutch support continued political dialogue with 
Q-- Cuba: The Dutch support continued political dialogue with 
Cuba as approved by the EU in 2008, but the Dutch would like 
to see a clear evaluation of the results in 2010.  So far the 
results have been mixed.  Final language on renewing the EU's 
common position will likely be approved at the ministerial 
level rather than among civil servants. 
 
-- Sudan: The Dutch have circulated a non-paper on Sudan (ref 
B).  The Dutch are concerned that the situation is not 
improving, and have asked for the EU to make this a "full 
 
agenda" item.  The Dutch expect a larger debate during the 
next GAERC meeting. 
GALLAGHER