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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01ABUJA3193 |
NIGERIA: DEMARCHE ON BURUNDI DEPLOYMENT [...] (S) Post will raise points (Ref A) with the GON at the earliest appropriate opportunity. However, Minister of State for Defense (Army) Lawal Batagarawa will be in Washington this week for meetings on the Hill and with the Department. Batagarawa, who attended preparatory meetings in Arusha and [...] |
2001-12-13 09:24:00 | Embassy Abuja | SECRET | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS BE BY NI |
| 01HARARE873 |
MUGABE OFF TO BELGIUM [...] (C) ACCORDING TO BELGIUM EMBASSY FIRST SECRETARY ALEXIS DE CROMBRUGGHE, PRESIDENT MUGABE W7LL TRAVEL TO BELGIUM ON OR ABOUT MARCH 5. THE TRIP HAS ITS GENESIS IN BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LOUIS MICHEL'S JANUARY INVITATION TO FOREIGN MINISTER MUDENGE TO COME TO BELGIUM TO DISCUSS THE CONGO. MU [...] |
2001-03-01 08:08:00 | Embassy Harare | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ZI CG BE |
| 03ANKARA2711 |
APRIL 29 MINI-SUMMIT ON ESDP: TURKS SHARE OUR [...] (U) Classified by Political-Military Counselor Stuart Brown. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 2. (C) On April 23, Polmiloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA/Disarmament Second Secretary Esra Dogan. Dogan thanked us for sharing the USG approach with regard to the April 29 "European Defense Su [...] |
2003-04-25 14:43:00 | Embassy Ankara | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EU BE FR TU |
| 03ROME226 |
ITALY IMPOUNDS LIBYA-BOUND CARGO OF MORPHOLINE [...] (S) THIS MESSAGE SUPPLEMENTS OFFICIAL GOI INFORMATION IN JANUARY 16-17 PRESS REPORTS THAT, IN DECEMBER, 2002, THE ITALIAN FINANCE POLICE (GUARDIA DI FINANZA/GDF) SEIZED IN THE PORT OF GENOA CONTAINERS CONTAINING THE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE MORPHOLINE. 2. (S) EMBASSY LEGATT ON JANUARY 17 WAS T [...] |
2003-01-17 18:20:00 | Embassy Rome | SECRET | PARM PREL IT BE LY GM IR MT UN |
| 03THEHAGUE1997 |
DUTCH ON INTERDICTION OF MISSILE RELATED CHEMICAL [...] No summary [...] |
2003-08-07 15:53:00 | Embassy The Hague | SECRET | PARM PREL MNUC ETTC BE NL MTCRE |
| 04BRATISLAVA870 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CATHERINE VIAL, SYLVIA MOHR, [...] EMBASSY BRATISLAVA WELCOMES COMPLIANCE ATTACHE CATHERINE VIAL, COMPLIANCE ASSISTANT SUSANA GETMAN, EU FUNDING ADVISOR ISABELLE MAELCAMP D'OPSTAELE AND STANDARDS SPECIALIST SYLVIA MOHR AND GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 3- 6, 2004. THE EMBASSY POINT OF CONTACT F [...] |
2004-09-23 10:08:00 | Embassy Bratislava | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD BEXP BE LO EUN |
| 04BRUSSELS1218 |
BELGIUM: NAME OF INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2004-03-23 11:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KSCA TSPL SENV TSPA EFIS BE USEU BRUSSELS |
| 04BRUSSELS2295 |
BELGIUM COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CBP/ICE ROBERT [...] Country clearance is granted for visit of Customs and Border Protection Chief Inspector Robert Ontiveros of El Paso, TX, to replace a Container Security Initiative (CSI) team member already stationed at the port, pursuant to the U.S. Customs and Belgian Customs Agreement on Implementing CSI. [...] |
2004-05-28 15:13:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT OTRA ECON ETRD EWWT BE USEU BRUSSELS |
| 04BRUSSELS5032 |
SIGNING BILATERAL INSTRUMENTS TO U.S.-EU [...] No summary [...] |
2004-11-29 09:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | BE CASC FI KCRM PREL SW EUN USEU BRUSSELS |
| 04BRUSSELS898 |
BELGIUM TO ATTEND GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WORKING GROUP [...] No summary [...] |
2004-03-02 13:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC PARM PREL RS BE USEU BRUSSELS |
| 04KINSHASA1299 |
DEPARTING BELGIAN AMBASSADOR'S TOUR D'HORIZON WITH [...] (C) During TDY Charge Gerald Scott's July 9 courtesy call on outgoing Belgian Ambassador Renier Nyskens, Nyskens stressed the need to maintain cohesion within the International Committee to Assist the Transition (CIAT) as many senior members will be rotating this summer and some elements with [...] |
2004-07-14 15:16:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | SECRET | PGOV PINR CG BE VT |
| 04KINSHASA1979 |
KABILA FUMING AT BELGIAN FONMIN COMMENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Kabila has temporarily recalled his ambassador from Brussels, as a sign of displeasure with recent comments by the Belgian foreign minister. The ongoing spat does us no good, because the USG and Belgium share many of the same goals in the DRC. Still, the Belgian/DRC r [...] |
2004-10-25 08:50:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL CG BE RW |
| 05ABIDJAN1871 |
TOGO NOT READY FOR REFUGEE RETURNS [...] (C) SUMMARY: RefCoord met UN and government agencies in Lome and Accra from November 8-10 to discuss the Government of Togo's proposed National Repatriation Plan (NRP) and the UN's 2006 Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for Togo. UN and EU representatives stated security conditions in Togo were not [...] |
2005-11-16 07:44:00 | Embassy Abidjan | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PREL PHUM TO GH BE |
| 05ANKARA6751 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DEPUTY SENIOR [...] (U) Mission warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Deputy Senior Advisor and Deputy Coordinator for Iraq Robert Deutsch and NEA Iraq Desk Officer Michele Siders to travel to Turkey from December 1-2, 2005 for consultations on Iraq. The point of contact for the visit is Political Offi [...] |
2005-11-16 08:15:00 | Embassy Ankara | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PGOV PREL IZ AU PL RO RS IT FR BE NATO EUN |
| 05BRUSSELS1014 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR DPAO DONNA [...] COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS REQUESTED FOR DEPUTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER DONNA WOOLF TO ATTEND PAO CONFERENCE IN VIENNA, MARCH 13 TO 16, 2005. PLEASE NOTE THAT MS. WOOLF WILL REPRESENT EMBASSY BRUSSELS PAO CHRIS ROCHESTER. KOROLOGOS [...] |
2005-03-11 12:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO BE USEU BRUSSELS |
| 05DUSHANBE1963 |
IIR 6 947 0014 06/BELGIANS LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE TO TERMEZ [...] No summary [...] |
2005-12-08 06:24:00 | Embassy Dushanbe | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP TI BE UZ |
| 05MADRID3757 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR COMMERCE [...] COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/U.S. AND DIRECTOR GENERAL ISRAEL HERNANDEZ AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT MIGUEL ROMANO, WHO WILL VISIT MADRID, SPAIN FOR A SERIES OF COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND AMBASSADORIAL PROGRAMS BETWEEN NOVEMBER 10 AND 14, CONCLUDING THAT EVENING WITH [...] |
2005-10-26 14:09:00 | Embassy Madrid | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA BE GM SP |
| 05PARIS4348 |
DEMARCHE REQUEST: JOINT APPROACH IN PRESSING GOA [...] No summary [...] |
2005-06-20 16:25:00 | Embassy Paris | UNCLASSIFIED | AF BE KDEM PREL PHUM PREF EAID FR |
| 05ROME3797 |
OSCE/FCS: ITALY WILL NOT BLOCK PROGRESS AHEAD OF [...] (SBU) On November 16 Polmiloff received a response to Reftel demarche from Brunella Borzi, the MFA's office director for OSCE affairs. Borzi apologized for the delayed response saying she has been out of the country and wanted to first confer with the Italian delegation in Vienna before react [...] |
2005-11-17 12:27:00 | Embassy Rome | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BE IT PARM PREL OSCE |
| 05THEHAGUE3247 |
NETHERLANDS: EXCESS F-16 INQUIRY [...] (C) The GONL is not/not interested in selling F-16s to Pakistan -- either directly or through the United States. Dutch MOD State Secretary Cees van der Knaap told Charge and ODC Chief December 2 that the re-sale issue is very clear: the Dutch will not sell F-16s to Pakistan, and will not be as [...] |
2005-12-05 14:18:00 | Embassy The Hague | CONFIDENTIAL | NL ETTC MARR PK BE PREL MAS |
| 05THEHAGUE3298 |
NETHERLANDS: RECORD-BREAKING XTC SEIZURES IN [...] (U) Summary. Dutch police, in coordination with Belgian, German and Spanish officials, raided multiple illegal drug sites in November 2005, leading to the dismantling of the largest MDMA (ecstasy) laboratory ever discovered in The Netherlands and the interception of a significant quantity o [...] |
2005-12-12 10:05:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR NL BE SP UK GE |
| 05WARSAW2265 |
HOLOCAUST ISSUES SPECIAL ENVOY EDWARD O'DONNELL IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During his May 4-7 visit to Poland Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Ambassador Edward O'Donnell discussed with key Polish officials and leaders of the Jewish community Poland's ChairmRmQqMQnd plans for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews (MHPJ). ITC discussions centered o [...] |
2005-05-16 11:18:00 | Embassy Warsaw | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN KNAR PGOV PHUM PL BE BO EZ HU IS UP WJRO |
| 06ACCRA3057 |
BELGIAN AMBASSADOR ON GHANA AND COTE D'IVOIRE [...] (U) On December 21, Belgium's Ambassador to Ghana (based in Cote d'Ivoire) Dirk Verheyen paid a courtesy call on CDA Brown. He noted that Belgium's Embassy in Ghana was burned down 45 years ago in a local reaction to the murder of Congo's Patrice Lumumba. Belgium has never rebuilt the Emba [...] |
2006-12-29 08:45:00 | Embassy Accra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BE CI EMIN GH PREL |
| 06ANKARA1328 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EUROPEAN REGIONAL [...] Mission welcomes and grants country clearance to European Regional Affairs (EUR/ERA) Officer John Robinson to travel to Ankara from March 16-18, 2006. The purpose of this trip is for consultations with embassies and host government officials. Embassy control officer for the visit is Political [...] |
2006-03-13 14:48:00 | Embassy Ankara | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PGOV BE BU TU |
| 06ANKARA2417 |
INTENSIFYING COOPERATION WITH BELGIUM AGAINST PKK [...] (S/NF) Summary: We should move now to extend the effort to disrupt criminal networks in Europe that support PKK terrorist activity beyond France and Germany to other European countries that host significant PKK support networks. Belgium is a prime candidate. The recent arrest in Switzerlan [...] |
2006-05-02 14:18:00 | Embassy Ankara | SECRET | PTER EFIN KTFN BE TU |
| 06ANKARA2698 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EUR/SE DIRECTOR [...] (U) Mission warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR/SE Director Douglas A. Silliman to travel to Turkey May 17 - 18, 2006. The purpose of the visit is to conduct meetings and consultations with Turkish officials. The point of contact for the visit is Political Officer Carl Sieben [...] |
2006-05-12 14:03:00 | Embassy Ankara | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PGOV TU BE UK |
| 06BRUSSELS1022 |
Belgium's Newest Anti-Terrorism Tool [...] (SBU) The Belgian House of Representatives has approved the creation of a new tool for combatting terrorism, the "Coordination Agency for Analyzing Threats" also known as "OCAM" (or "OCAD" in Dutch). The decision follows about eighteen months of debate; the Senate's pro forma approval is expe [...] |
2006-03-24 07:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BE PGOV PTER |
| 06BRUSSELS1083 |
TURKS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON PKK ACTIVITIES IN [...] (S) The Turkish Embassy in Brussels presented Embassy a package March 23 containing two DVD's of recordings of various broadcasts of ROJ TV, as well as their texts translated in English. The recordings cover the period from August 29 through October 11, 2005, and January 3 through February 9 [...] |
2006-03-29 14:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PREL PTER BE TU |
| 06BRUSSELS1095 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: March 17, 2006 [...] (U) Although Belgium has one of the highest per capita income levels of the EU ($35,749 in 2005), Belgian households still struggle to balance their budgets, due to high prices for some basics. Electricity prices, for example, are near 30 percent above those of France. A recent survey compa [...] |
2006-03-30 13:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV EWWT EAIR BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1098 |
TREASURY OFFICIALS MEET WITH BELGIAN AND EU [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a March 14 meeting at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Treasury Assistant Secretary (A/S) for Terrorism Financing Patrick O'Brien met SIPDIS with Belgian officials to explain the U.S. process to designate financiers of terrorists or terror groups. O'Brien's [...] |
2006-03-30 15:34:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KTFN EFIN PTER PREL PGOV BE EU |
| 06BRUSSELS1227 |
RESPONSE TO EC COMMENTS AT 2006 BURMA/MYANMAR FORUM [...] No summary [...] |
2006-04-12 11:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BM EAID EU PHUM PREF PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1512 |
(C) BELGIANS CONCERNED ABOUT DETAINED IRANIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-05 15:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL IR BE AU CA |
| 06BRUSSELS1521 |
BELGIUM: UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - CANDIDACY OF [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-08 09:32:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1569 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: May 8, 2006 [...] Advice for Belgian Investors Facing Iran Uncertainty 2-3. Belgian firms Seek Profit Overseas 4-6. Belgian workers more productive, but more expensive 7. Turning the Black Economy White 8. Rich Belgium Still has Poverty 9. Flemish Trade Balance in the Red 10. Self Check-Out Arrive [...] |
2006-05-10 12:43:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EWWT EAIR BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1585 |
APPROACHING BELGIUM ON PKK TERRORISM [...] (S) SUMMARY: Post has worked to push appropriate Belgian ministries, including MFA, Justice, and Interior, on increasing action against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) activities in Belgium. The Belgians want to do more and have told us that, in addition to information, increased dialogue wou [...] |
2006-05-11 14:32:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PTER PREL BE TU |
| 06BRUSSELS1637 |
Belgium's Environmental Management: The [...] (U) Summary. In contrast with government rhetoric touting commitment to a clean environment, Belgium's environmental management ranks poorly among EU member states. The country's geography, linguistic divisions, and complex political structure contribute to a difficult environmental policym [...] |
2006-05-16 16:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1653 |
DEMARCHE FOLLOWUP: BRIEFING CAPITALS ON U.S. [...] (C) Poloff met with Charles Delogne, MFA Adviser on the Balkans, to get additional information on Belgian views regarding U.S. policy on Kosovo status (refs A and B). Delogne had accompanied Belgian FM De Gucht to the Balkans in April as part of De Gucht's role as 2006 OSCE Chairman-in-Office [...] |
2006-05-17 16:19:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL YI EU BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1670 |
ETHNIC TENSIONS AND VIOLENCE ROIL BELGIUM [...] Summary: Simmering ethnic and religious tensions have recently come to the surface of Belgian political and social life through a spate of racially motivated attacks and the occupation of approximately 25 churches by asylum seekers in Antwerp, Brussels, and Namur. While it is not possible to [...] |
2006-05-18 16:14:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KCRM SOCI BE |
| 06BRUSSELS1876 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: June 6, 2006 [...] Introduction 2. Upbeat Forecast from Planning Office 3. Belgian Savings Rate Drops 4. Big Future for Walloon Airports 5. Antwerp Port Container Traffic Booming 6. Belgian Competitiveness Weakening 7-8. American Financial Router Expanding 9. WANTED: Pan-European Pension Fu [...] |
2006-06-07 12:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EWWT EAIR TBIO BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2199 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: June 26, 2006 [...] (U) In May, EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding levied a general criticism at European countries for lagging behind on implementing fast new technologies. The commissioner lamented Europe's slow take-up of new high-speed communications technologies such as broadband internet, te [...] |
2006-06-27 13:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EAID EWWT EAIR BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2203 |
BELGIUM: 2005/2006 REPORT TO CONGRESS ON ALLIED [...] SUMMARY: Belgium continues to provide important contributions to the common Transatlantic defense, by assisting resident and transiting U.S. forces and with its own forces supporting stability in Afghanistan, the Balkans and the Congo. The Belgian military is hobbled by an aging force structur [...] |
2006-06-27 16:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR MCAP MOPS PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2249 |
BELGIUM RECONSIDERS RENOUNCING NUCLEAR POWER [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY. The recent release of a political party-sponsored study of Belgium's nuclear energy options, combined with our analysis of views expressed more privately by Belgian government officials indicate that serious thought is being given to Belgium's future energy options. Opinion di [...] |
2006-06-30 10:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ENRG SENV PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2463 |
PM: BELGIUM CAN DO MORE ON AFGHANISTAN, WANTS HELP [...] (C) SUMMARY: PM Verhofstadt told Ambassador Korologos July 20 that he was trying to secure coalition approval to "double" the Belgian troop contribution to Afghanistan, adding some 200 troops around Kabul. In principle, he accepted the need for NATO common funding, but that NATO's budgeting n [...] |
2006-07-14 12:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PARM MCAP MOPS KNNP AF CG IR BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2476 |
BELGIAN RESPONSE TO THE DEMARCHE ON THE JULY 17 [...] (c) Poloff met with FM Michel Tilemans. Ref A GAERC points shared, but Tilemans interest went straight to Lebanon/Hizballah points. He said De Gucht will be speaking on this issue at the GAERC but wouldn't give specifics when pressed. This will be Belgian focus for EU, since they were heavi [...] |
2006-07-14 16:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | BE KPAL LE PREL |
| 06BRUSSELS2502 |
BELGIAN DEVELOPMENT MINISTER OUTLINES IDEAS TO [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: During Ambassador's July 13 meeting with Belgian Federal Minister of Cooperation and Development Armand De Decker the following topics were discussed: Afghanistan, Iraq, U.S. aid, and the upcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC). Th [...] |
2006-07-18 05:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAID PGOV MOPS PREL KBIO BE CG AF SO IZ |
| 06BRUSSELS2520 |
BELGIAN RESPONSE TO COMMISSION FOR ASSISTANCE FOR [...] Poloff Cunningham met with MFA Latin America DeskOff Christiaan Vandriessche and provided demarhce and information on CAFC. Poloff explained the Commission as proactive and transparent approach to preparing for inevitable transition to take place in Cuba after Castro. Vandriessche acknowledg [...] |
2006-07-19 08:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | BE PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06BRUSSELS2521 |
BELGIANS SHOW RESERVED SUPPORT OF GUATEMALA ON UNSC [...] Poloff presented reftel demarche and discussed furthering support for Guatemala's bid to the UNSC with Belgian UN Directorate Rudi Brieven. Breiven, who served at the Belgian Mission to the U.N. his last post, expressed Belgium's desire to see Guatemala win the bid. He felt the campaign would [...] |
2006-07-19 08:02:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2538 |
SPECIAL ENVOY ARRIVES FOR OSCEPA, MEETS JEWISH [...] Dr. Gregg Rickman, the DoS Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism, made an introductory visit to Brussels. Rickman participated in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCEPA). He lobbied in support of a draft resolution principally [...] |
2006-07-20 07:44:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | OSCE PHUM PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2543 |
FIREWORKS AT OSCE ELECTION MONITORING CONFERENCE [...] (SBU) Summary: The Belgian OSCE Chairmanship focused its attention on election monitoring at a conference in Brussels on July 12. The technical theme was the need for continued strict adherence to observation guidelines when monitoring. The political message was that ODIHR remains the most co [...] |
2006-07-20 10:27:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BE OSCE PHUM PREL |
| 06BRUSSELS2647 |
BELGIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FUND SEVERAL POSITIVE [...] (U) Summary. The Belgian Council of Ministers meeting held July 20 approved and provided budgetary allowances for several economic, political and military initiatives. Of particular interest were a C-130 for Afghanistan, a NATO mine clearing operation in the Baltics, and continued participatio [...] |
2006-08-01 13:19:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | AF BE CG EAID EN KZ MARR MAS MOPS PBTS PGOV |
| 06BRUSSELS2675 |
TFLE01: BELGIANS CONSIDER INVOLVEMENT IN MIDDLE [...] (U) Summary. Since the Qana raid, FM De Gucht called for an immediate cease-fire and offered Belgian military involvement in a stabilization force. On August 2, Charge clarified Belgian thinking and reviewed US ideas on the crisis. The Belgians think a UN PKO as the best option. On operations [...] |
2006-08-03 12:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2788 |
ISRAELIS HOPE EARLY PROTEST WILL QUASH THREATENED [...] (C) Summary: A Belgian/Lebanese medical doctor has denied press reports he intended to file suit under the controversial universal competence law against Israeli leaders for the near destruction of his property in Lebanon. The Israeli embassy fears the doctor eventually may go ahead with a [...] |
2006-08-14 14:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR BE IS |
| 06BRUSSELS2800 |
BELGIANS SAY THEY WILL SUPPORT UNIFIL, BUT NO [...] (C) For Belgium, all options were still on the table regarding participation in the new look UNIFIL. This was the only significant result of an August 16, 2006 planning meeting between representatives of the Prime Minister's office, the MFA, the Defense Ministry, and the Development Ministry. [...] |
2006-08-16 13:43:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MOPS PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2845 |
MTCR DEMARCHE PRESENTED TO BELGIANS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-22 13:23:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | MTCR PARM PREL ETTC KSCA BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2925 |
DEMARCHE ON KAZAKHSTAN'S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP BID [...] (C) Poloff met with Marc Michielsen, Policy Director for the MFA's OSCE Chairmanship Unit, to relay reftel points on Kazakhstan's 2009 OSCE Chairmanship bid. Michielsen said Belgium planned to "take the temperature" of EU nations on Kazakhstan's bid over the next couple of months. As CiO, B [...] |
2006-08-29 14:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KZ KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2926 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: August 29, 2006 [...] (U) According to statistics issued in July by the Survey of Current Business, the value of the stock of U.S. Foreign Direct Investment in Belgium rose by over $6 billion in 2005. U.S. investment in Belgium reached $36.73 billion in value, ranking Belgium ninth within the EU-25. The increase [...] |
2006-08-29 15:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV ENRG EWWT EIND BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2961 |
UPDATED BRIEFING ON KOSOVO STATUS NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) Poloff met with Thomas Antoine, MFA Director for the Balkans, to provide an updated briefing on Kosovo status negotiations (reftel). Antoine expressed pessimism that a negotiated solution would be reached in 2006 while agreeing that every effort should be made to reach a settlement this [...] |
2006-08-31 14:33:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UN UNMIK PGOV EU BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2974 |
BELGIANS WILL URGE DELIVERY OF STRONG MESSAGE TO [...] (U) Belgian Foreign Minister De Gucht will urge the delivery of a strong message to the Iranians at the conclusion of the September 1 Gymnich in Finland. Despite some nervousness on the part of several EU members, De Gucht reportedly expects little difficulty in reaching agreement to follow [...] |
2006-09-01 12:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP PARM PGOV PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS2988 |
SN-BRUSSELS AIRLINES PLANS EXPANSION IN [...] (U) According to company representatives, SN Brusels Airlines (SNBA) is planning to expand it presence in Africa in the coming years. Eschwing larger airports such as Casablanca, Nairobi and Johannesburg, where other international airlines have a strong presence, SNBA intends to focus on West [...] |
2006-09-05 06:11:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR EINV BE XY ZF |
| 06BRUSSELS3039 |
BELGIAN VIEWS OF UNSC RESOLUTION 1695 [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-08 12:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KNNP KPAO PARM PREL MNUC PTER BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3098 |
DEMARCHE ON IRAN: APPROACHING THE EU IN ADVANCE OF [...] (C) Poloff relayed reftel points to Jean-Luc Bodson, Deputy Chief of Staff, responsible for middle eastern affairs, in the Belgian Foreign Ministry. Bodson said Belgium will likely follow the European consensus on sanctions, but called the possibility of sanctions "a touchy issue." With the [...] |
2006-09-14 11:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE PGOV PREL PARM UN EU IR KNNP |
| 06BRUSSELS3103 |
DEMARCHES ON SYRIA AND LEBANON [...] (C) Poloff discussed points on Syria and Lebanon (refs A and B) with Jean-Luc Bodson, Deputy Chief of Staff, responsible for middle eastern affairs, in the Belgian Foreign Ministry. Bodson said Belgian Foreign Minister DeGucht generally believed a constructive dialogue was needed with all th [...] |
2006-09-14 14:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE PGOV PREL PTER USUN LE SY EU IS |
| 06BRUSSELS3105 |
BELGIUM PRIME MINISTER DESCRIBES SHIFT ON PLANNED [...] (C) Summary: The Belgians may send additional air assets to Afghanistan, rather than ground troops, according to Prime Minister Verhofstadt. In a meeting with the Ambassador on September 11, Verhofstadt also said the Belgian contingent in Lebanon was working with a 1,000 person Chinese de-mi [...] |
2006-09-14 15:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINS PGOV EFIN BE AF LE |
| 06BRUSSELS3109 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH BELGIAN FM DE GUCHT ON [...] (C) Summary: In a meeting with the Ambassador on September 12, Belgian FM De Gucht reiterated Belgian intentions to fulfill pledges of more forces for Afghanistan, adding that he would get the details worked out with the Socialist coalition partners after local elections October 8. He also s [...] |
2006-09-14 15:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR OSCE AF IR BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3164 |
APPEALS HEARD IN GICM AND DHKP-C TERROR TRIALS [...] (U) Five members of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM), who appealed February 2006 convictions under Belgium's antiterrorism law, have received sentences ranging from forty months to eight years. The February 2006 verdict by a Brussels criminal court found the GICM members guilty of [...] |
2006-09-19 13:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BE MO PREL PTER TU |
| 06BRUSSELS3196 |
883 Million Euro Hole in 2006 Belgian Budget [...] (U) Summary. Belgium faces a quick scrubbing of its FY 2006 budget late in the year after revenues did not keep pace with projections and a technical gaff resulted in a 883 million euro overestimate of tax revenues. Government critics are faulting the coalition government?s history of last [...] |
2006-09-21 14:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN EINV ELAB BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3203 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIANS ON U.S. PRIORITIES FOR THE [...] (C) The Belgian government generally shares USG goals at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session, according to France Chainay, Director for Human Rights matters in the MFA's International Organizations Division. She told polcouns the Belgians were particularly anxious to avoid having one [...] |
2006-09-22 11:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PHUM BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3273 |
Belgians to Name Non-Resident Charge for [...] The Belgian government will shortly appoint a non- resident Charge for Baghdad, according to Ambassador Robert Devriese, the MFA's Acting Director-General for Bilateral Relations. Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht took the decision on September 27, Devriese told polcouns and visiting EUR/UBI Of [...] |
2006-09-28 14:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL BE IZ JO |
| 06BRUSSELS3278 |
DELIVERY OF DEMARCHE ON VENEZUELA'S ARMS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-29 04:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS PARM PREL VE BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3382 |
BELGIAN LOCAL POLLS -- FAR RIGHT LOOKS POISED TO [...] (SBU) Summary: Belgium's October 8 local elections will prove one thing -- all politics might be local, but all local politics have national political implications. In Dutch-speaking Flanders, that means that the far right Vlaams Belang party looks poised to make important gains, but not to [...] |
2006-10-06 09:44:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3388 |
UN SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS: DEMARCHE TO BELGIUM ON [...] (U) When reftel arrived, the entire Belgian IO team was in NY attending the UNGA. On October 6, DCM Imbrie and Polcounselor Andrews met with Belgian UN experts, headed by Benedicte Frankinet (IO P/DAS-equivalent) to discuss the scale of assessments and UNGA. 2. (U) DCM reviewed US prioriti [...] |
2006-10-06 13:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | UNGA KUNR AORC BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3403 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: October 5, 2006 [...] (U) Progress on rebalancing Belgium?s 2006 budget and proposing an FY 2007 budget has been slowed by the municipal elections to be held October 8. The government claimed remarkably quick progress in filling the holes created by an accounting snafu and over-estimation of tax revenues (ref [...] |
2006-10-06 16:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EIND ELTN BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3447 |
BELGIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS -- FAR RIGHT STUMBLES, [...] (U) In elections for almost 600 communal and provincial council elections on October 8, the Flemish Liberal party (senior member of the governing four-party coalition) fared badly, as did its Francophone Liberal partner. Leaders of the Flemish Liberals have ascribed their poor showing on infi [...] |
2006-10-12 09:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3488 |
EMBASSY OCTOBER 10 IFTAR DINNER -- IDENTITY ISSUES [...] (U) On October 10, the Ambassador hosted his third Iftar dinner since arriving at post in 2004. He will host a fourth dinner on October 16. In welcoming the guests, the Ambassador noted that the Embassy was working actively to maintain close ties to the Muslim community, as witnessed by the [...] |
2006-10-13 13:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KISL SOCI BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3527 |
New Belgian Carrier Notified to Embassy [...] (U) This is an action request: See para 4. 2. (U) On October 2, the Embassy received a diplomatic note from the Foreign Ministry notifying it of a new Belgian airline company. This notification was made under provisions of the 23 October 1980 bilateral Air Transport Agreement (as amended) cu [...] |
2006-10-17 14:16:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3528 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UNSCR 1718 [...] (C) Poloff relayed reftel points to Geeraard Vanhouche, Counselor for Asian Affairs in the Belgian Foreign Ministry. Vanhouche said Belgium was pleased with the adoption of UNSCR 1718 and supported the measure. Ambassador Korologos also spoke with FM De Gucht to urge continued support for UNS [...] |
2006-10-17 15:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE PREL KNNP KN PARM |
| 06BRUSSELS3531 |
Airbus Turbulence Hits Belgian [...] (U) Summary. Belgian aviation contractors to Airbus expect a 10 to 15 percent reduction in sales this year, but claim that to date no supply contract has been cancelled despite the slowdown in Airbus A380 production. Protecting jobs is the principal objective for Belgian federal and regional [...] |
2006-10-18 04:46:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR EIND EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3540 |
EMBASSY OCTOBER 16 IFTAR: BELGIAN MUSLIMS PONDER [...] (U) More than 20 guests at Ambassador Korologos' October 16 Iftar dinner discussed the October 8 local elections in Belgium, Muslim identity and integration into Belgian society, and whether it is possible to criticize Islam. This was the Ambassador's second Iftar dinner of this Ramadan seaso [...] |
2006-10-18 13:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KISL SOCI BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3578 |
Belgian Chemicals Industry Faces Challenges [...] (U) Summary. Belgium's chemical industry is one of the country's most important economic sectors, representing 16 percent of national GDP. Many American chemical companies maintain a significant presence in Belgium. The industry faces challenges as high demand draws investment to the develo [...] |
2006-10-20 15:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EIND EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3668 |
A/S FRIED'S OCTOBER 20, 2006 MEETING WITH BELGIAN [...] (C) Summary: EUR A/S Fried met Belgian FM and OSCE CiO De Gucht in Brussels on October 20. Fried and De Gucht agreed that the U.S., EU, and OSCE needed to press Russia on treatment of ethnic Georgians in Russia. De Gucht repeatedly stressed the importance of having the Secretary attend the [...] |
2006-10-27 15:23:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PINS OSCE GG RU BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3669 |
BELGIUM'S COOL RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON PRESERVING [...] (C) In response to ref A demarche, Belgian FM De Gucht's Deputy Chief of Staff for Middle East Affairs, Jean-Luc Bodson, told us the MFA could not agree with the USG request about dealing with the Syrians. Bodson explained that the Belgians thought the U.S. approach would be "counterproductiv [...] |
2006-10-27 15:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KDEM PREL PGOV PTER MOPS BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3715 |
BELGIUM,S 2007 FEDERAL BUDGET: OLD TRICKS HARDER [...] (SBU) Belgium,s Federal Budget for FY2007 is a mosaic of political compromises, with social benefits for the political left and law and order spending and fiscal conservatism for the political right, funded with a mix of new revenue enhancements. To ensure balanced books, the budget projects [...] |
2006-11-03 14:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3722 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIUM ON COUNTRY SPECIFIC HUMAN [...] (U) The acting head of the MFA's International Organizations Division told polcouns Belgium has decided to delay a decision on co-sponsoring the Uzbekistan resolution in the Third Committee until November 8, date of the EU's consultations in Brussels with the Uzbeks. The Uzbek Foreign Minist [...] |
2006-11-03 16:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KTIA PHUM PREL BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3748 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: November 7, 2006 [...] Sustainable Development Week 2-3. NIKE Expands, Gets Green Approval Seal 4. GDP Growth Exceeds Forecast 5. Belgian "Peace Corps" Volunteers Chosen 6. World's Biggest Diamond sold in Antwerp 7. Northwest: New Brussels-Detroit Flight 8. By Their Snacks You Shall Know Them 9. Ri [...] |
2006-11-07 15:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EIND ELTN BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3761 |
STIFFER SENTENCES FOR DHKP-C CONVICTS [...] On November 7, the judge of the Ghent Appellate Court strengthened sentences given earlier this year to three DHKP-C militants under Belgium's 2003 anti-terrorism statute. Nine DHKP- C militants had appeared in court facing charges of belonging to criminal and terrorist organizations, an of [...] |
2006-11-08 14:24:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV BE TU |
| 06BRUSSELS3799 |
BELGIAN NUCLEAR ENERGY REASSESSED [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Pressed by global energy concerns and climate change targets, Belgium is reassessing the country,s use of nuclear energy and its future energy policy options. Although current law commits Belgium to decommissioning its nuclear-powered generating installations from 2015-2025, med [...] |
2006-11-13 11:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG EINV EFIN SENV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3836 |
HIGH BELGIAN UNEMPLOYMENT PERSISTS [...] (U) Summary. Belgian unemployment remains high on average by national standards, 8.6 percent, and rose in the past year despite good EU and global economic growth rates. The French-speaking regions of Wallonia and Brussels register over 19 and 21 percent unemployment respectively, reflecting [...] |
2006-11-16 07:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ELAB BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3911 |
HSPD-6 TERRORIST SCREENING INFORMATION: BELGIUM [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of Belgium (GOB) will consider an information sharing proposal with the U.S. within the framework of Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 6 (HSPD-6). The U.S. delegation, during a November 10 meeting in Brussels, proposed to give Belgium access to a portion o [...] |
2006-11-22 14:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | CVIS PTER PINR PGOV PREL KHLS BE |
| 06BRUSSELS3930 |
USG DELEGATION APPROACHES BELGIUM ON PKK TERRORISM [...] (S) SUMMARY: An inter-agency USG team, led by S/CT Principal Deputy Counterterrorism Coordinator Frank Urbancic, met with representatives of Belgium's counterterrorism, law enforcement, and intelligence communities to discuss ways to engender joint cooperation against the Kurdistan Workers Pa [...] |
2006-11-27 12:46:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | BE PREL PTER TU |
| 06BRUSSELS3947 |
USG DELEGATION APPROACHES BELGIUM ON PKK TERRORISM [...] (S) SUMMARY: An inter-agency USG team, led by S/CT Principal Deputy Counterterrorism Coordinator Frank Urbancic, met with representatives of Belgium's counterterrorism, law enforcement, and intelligence communities to discuss ways to engender joint cooperation against the Kurdistan Workers Pa [...] |
2006-11-28 14:49:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PREL PTER TU BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4049 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH PM'S KEY RIVAL FLEMISH [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium's politics were thrown into a cocked hat this week when Yves Leterme, Minister-President of Belgium's Flanders region and by many accounts the heir apparent to be Prime Minister next year, withdrew his alliance with a controversial right-wing nationalist, thus losing as m [...] |
2006-12-06 17:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4057 |
BELGIUM: LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW [...] (C) SUMMARY: In response to ref A, post submits the following information regarding the suspension of Title III of the Libertad Act. Post has no basis to suggest that any Belgian investments qualify for consideration under the Libertad Act. END SUMMARY 2. (C) In conjunction with its Europ [...] |
2006-12-07 14:28:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ETTC ETRD PREL BE CU |
| 06BRUSSELS4099 |
MUSLIM ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY 2006-2007 FOR BELGIUM [...] (U) The Muslim populace in Belgium, a country of just over 10 million people, forms nearly five percent of the total population. Although the Government of Belgium does not keep statistics on ethnicity or religion, most estimates for the total population of Muslims in Belgium range from 450, [...] |
2006-12-12 16:43:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KISL SOCI PGOV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4130 |
EU Faults Belgian Aerospace Subsidies [...] (U) Summary. The EU Commissioner for Competition has found Belgium's state aid program to aerospace firms working with Airbus to be incompatible with EU regulations. In an agreement with the Belgian government announced November 24, the assistance program will be halved in funding, and some [...] |
2006-12-14 15:33:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR EIND EINV BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4149 |
Money Talks - Economic Factors in Belgium?s [...] (SBU) Summary. Belgium?s federal-regional negotiations in spring-summer 2007 on the division of political competencies will have major economic implications. If the federal government cedes responsibilities to the regions, regional demands for direct taxing authority and fiscal autonomy will [...] |
2006-12-15 11:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN ETRD BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4157 |
BELGIAN AND THE UN -- VIEWS OF A NEW UNSC MEMBER [...] (C) Summary: IO A/S Silverberg's December 6 meetings with the Belgian MFA indicated that Belgium and the U.S. were in general agreement on most major issues facing the UN Security Council, apart from some differences on Iran. On Iran, the Belgians said that they thought it appropriate now to [...] |
2006-12-15 16:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL AORC UNSC BE CG SU IR KN |
| 06BRUSSELS4187 |
BELGIUM: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] (U) Post submits the following update on Belgium for the Department,s 2006 Patterns of Global Terrorism report (reftel). 2. (U) Patterns of Global Terrorism ) Belgium Update for 2006: ------------------ General Assessment ------------------ 3. (U) The Belgian government continues [...] |
2006-12-20 15:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ASEC EFIN PTER BE |
| 06BRUSSELS4193 |
Letter from Belgian Attorney Concerning [...] (SBU) Belgian attorney Jacques Bourgaux wrote the Ambassador December 11 to seek information regarding the detention in Iraq of Oussama Atar, a Belgian of Moroccan origin. Unofficial embassy translation of the letter is reproduced in paragraph two. The letter reports Atar as being held by th [...] |
2006-12-21 08:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PINS BE IZ |
| 06BRUSSELS4195 |
SOLANA TELLS NATSIOS EU AND US NEED JOINT [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-21 09:19:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE PREL SU |
| 06BRUSSELS4210 |
SPECIAL ENVOY NATSIOS' MEETING WITH THE BELGIAN [...] (C) Sudan Special Envoy Natsios conducted a Darfur roundtable on December 15, 2006 with experts from the Belgian MFA led by Director for African Affairs Trouveroy (the former Belgian Ambassador to Sudan) and Director of International Organization Affairs (both A/S-equivalent) Frankinet. The S [...] |
2006-12-22 11:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL SU CG RW BE UNSC |
| 06CASABLANCA576 |
TERRORIST FINANCE: UN 1267 SANCTIONS AGAINST [...] (S) Post has discussed reftel internally with relevant Mission elements. Post does not object to the proposed designations of Moroccan nationals Mohammed Moumou and Farid Lamrabet. Post does not anticipate any negative impact of reftel designations in Morocco. Post also believes GOM would [...] |
2006-05-26 17:12:00 | Consulate Casablanca | SECRET | PREL PTER EFIN KTFN UN IT BE NR AG EG MO |
| 06DUBLIN134 |
IRELAND TACITLY FAVORS VOSS FOR ICAO SECRETARY [...] (SBU) Ireland supports U.S. candidate Bill Voss' bid for the post of ICAO Secretary General, according to Robin McKay, Department of Transport Principal Officer for Aviation Regulation and International Relations, to whom Post delivered ref A demarche on February 2. Ongoing discussions among [...] |
2006-02-07 17:14:00 | Embassy Dublin | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAIR ICAO AU BE NL SZ IR EI |
| 06DUBLIN249 |
IRELAND SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON ODIHR'S BELARUS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-03-09 17:23:00 | Embassy Dublin | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PHUM PREL BE EI |
| 06DUBLIN798 |
IRELAND: ISLAM IN EUROPE (C-DI5-01478) [...] (U) Summary. Embassy Dublin salutes the initiative of Washington analysts (ref A.) to look at the role of Islamic thinkers across Europe. In 2004, we launched a new outreach program to Muslims in Ireland, a group that has grown rapidly in recent years from a population of less than 4,000 ac [...] |
2006-07-07 16:45:00 | Embassy Dublin | SECRET | PINR PTER SCUL KTFN AU PINS KPAO BE FI FR |
| 06EFTOBRUSSELS3952 |
BELGIAN CONTRIBUTION TO EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY [...] (SBU) Belgium's Senate is having heated discussions over Belgium's contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA) budget. The Senate's advisor and legislation manager for Space and Technology Issues told Econoff that the 200 million euro annual contribution of Belgium to the ESA was dominant [...] |
2006-11-29 06:19:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | TSPA PGOV BE |
| 06ISLAMABAD5983 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR GOVERNORS DELEGATION [...] Post welcomes and grants country clearance for the visit of Gov. Mitch Daniels, Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. Joe Manchin, Gov. Tom Vilsack, Lt. General Blum, Maj. Reale, Ltc. Schroeder, Dan Wilmot, and Anthony Welcher for April 16 and 17. The purpose of the visit is to transit Pakistan. 2. Contro [...] |
2006-04-10 01:55:00 | Embassy Islamabad | UNCLASSIFIED | OVIP OTRA BE PK AMGT ASEC |
| 06KIGALI184 |
GOR GROUNDS SN BRUSSELS PASSANGER PLANE [...] (U) On 21 February the Rwandan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) grounded an SN Brussels Airlines passenger plane for violating saftey standards. Flight 463, from Kigali to Brussels with one stop in Nairobi, had over 200 passengers, including at least two Amcits. The CAA claimed: -- The safety be [...] |
2006-02-24 14:36:00 | Embassy Kigali | CONFIDENTIAL | EAIR PGOV PREL BE KY RW |
| 06KIGALI221 |
SN BRUSSELS SUSPENDS OPERATIONS TO RWANDA [...] (SBU) Summary. SN Brussels, the only carrier flying directly from Rwanda to Europe, has suspended all flights to Rwanda until further notice. High-level diplomatic discussions regarding the three-day grounding (February 21-24) of an SN Brussels flight by the Rwandan Civil Aviation Authority ( [...] |
2006-03-06 15:49:00 | Embassy Kigali | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON PREL PGOV BE KY RW |
| 06KIGALI340 |
GOR RESPONSE TO ARREST OF FDLR PRESIDENT IN GERMANY [...] (SBU) On 11 April poloff met with German DCM to discuss the recent arrest of the president of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Ignace Murwanashyaka, by German authorities in Mannheim, Germany. According to Hans Von Schroeder, Murwanashyaka will be detained for approxi [...] |
2006-04-12 16:24:00 | Embassy Kigali | CONFIDENTIAL | KPKO PREF PREL MONUC RW CG BY UG GE BE |
| 06KINSHASA1066 |
BELGIAN INTERNATIONAL RADIO COMES TO KINSHASA [...] (U) Summary: Belgian international FM radio now broadcasts to the world's second French-language city, Kinshasa. It competes with RFI, BBC, VOA and Africa No.1. Its success will likely depend upon its getting a reporter on the ground in the DRC. End Summary 2. (U) On June 26, Belgian Int [...] |
2006-07-05 10:08:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ECPS SCUL CG BE KPAO |
| 06KINSHASA1700 |
FDLR DENOUNCES U.S. SANCTIONS DECISION [...] (U) The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) issued a statement November 1 calling the U.S. decision to impose UN sanctions against the group as "unjust, useless, unjustified and counterproductive." It claimed the group has never been involved in arms trafficking or in undermi [...] |
2006-11-03 10:09:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER EFIN KPKO CG BE RW |
| 06KUWAIT3136 |
KUWAIT GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL MILLER(6-8 AUG) [...] Embassy Kuwait welcomes and hereby grants country clearance for CODEL Miller to travel to post o/a 6-9 August, 2006. 2. This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; you must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy Baghdad. 3. Hotel reservations have been made at the Radisson SAS [...] |
2006-08-05 12:33:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN BE EI IS IZ JO KU QA COUNTRY |
| 06KUWAIT3325 |
KUWAIT GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL SPECTER [...] Embassy Kuwait welcomes and hereby grants country clearance for CODEL Specter to travel to post o/a 18 to 19 August, 2006. 2. This clearance is not/not valid for entry into Iraq; you must apply for Iraq clearance through Embassy Baghdad. 3. Hotel reservations have been made for 18 Aug at [...] |
2006-08-16 14:14:00 | Embassy Kuwait | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN KU LY IN BE CH COUNTRY CLEARANCE |
| 06NICOSIA315 |
CYPRUS AGREES TO RAISE ISSUE OF ODIHR ELECTION [...] (C) On March 1, poloff delivered reftel message to Vasos Chamberlain, who handles Russian and Eastern European issues in the MFA's Division of bilateral affairs. Chamberlain was not aware of Belgian FM De Gucht's plan to send three personal representatives to observe the OSCE Office of Democ [...] |
2006-03-02 12:45:00 | Embassy Nicosia | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PHUM PREL BE CY |
| 06PARIS1222 |
FRANCE AGREES WITH USG POINTS ON ODIHR ELECTION [...] No summary [...] |
2006-02-27 16:24:00 | Embassy Paris | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PHUM PREL BE FR |
| 06PARIS2252 |
A/S FRIED DISCUSSES NATO AND FORMER SOVIET SPACE [...] (C) Summary: On March 31, A/S Fried met with French MFA officials to discuss NATO partnerships, Georgia, Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Belarus, Russia and Darfur. Fried pressed French officials to remain open to offering Georgia a NATO Membership Action Plan, and noted that French and U.S. analy [...] |
2006-04-06 10:15:00 | Embassy Paris | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV FR RU BE MO |
| 06PRISTINA1019 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO EUR DAS ROSEMARY DICARLO, [...] US Office Pristina warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR DAS Rosemary DiCarlo to visit Pristina December 2-December 5, 2006. The purpose of the visit is to join a joint U.S./EU visit. Control Officer for this visit will be Deputy Political/Economic Chief, David Whiddon, who can [...] |
2006-11-29 16:02:00 | Embassy Pristina | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA ASEC AMGT PREL IT SR BE |
| 06ROME622 |
ITALIANS "ASTONISHED" BY PROPOSED BELGIAN TRIP TO [...] (C) Summary. The Italian MFA expressed astonishment at the proposed visit by Belgian FM De Gucht to Belarus to observe the election monitoring process. The GOI shares USG concern about the signal the trip could send regarding ODHIR,s integrity. While the GOI has no plans to publicly or form [...] |
2006-03-01 12:40:00 | Embassy Rome | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PHUM PREL BE IT |
| 06THEHAGUE392 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR AMBASSADORS YAMAMOTO [...] Country clearance is granted for Ambassadors Donald Yamamoto and Joyce Leader, and party, to travel to The Netherlands February 28 to March 2, to attend the Great Lakes Central Group meetings in The Hague. 2. Control Officer is Political Officer Ted Burkhalter. He can be reached at: Tel [...] |
2006-02-22 11:36:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA BE NL |
| 06THEHAGUE512 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR WHA PDAS SHAPIRO, [...] (SBU) Country clearance is granted for WHA PDAS, Ambassador Shapiro, for his March 14-15 visit to The Netherlands. 2. (U) Control Officer is Political Officer Ted Burkhalter. He can be reached at: Tel: (W) 31-70-310-2336, (H) 31-70-324-1559, (Mobile) 31-65-181-6873. Fax: (W) 31-70-310-23 [...] |
2006-03-09 11:03:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OTRA BE EU EZ UK NL |
| 06THEHAGUE762 |
NETHERLANDS: PLANS TO EXPAND PEACE AND SECURITY [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para 6. 2. (SBU) Summary: The GONL is paying increasing attention to African Peace and Security Architecture and is ready to commit additional resources. The GONL wishes, in cooperation with the Belgians, to take a lead on Burundi Security Sector [...] |
2006-04-07 14:51:00 | Embassy The Hague | SECRET | PREL KGHA KHIV KPKO MARR MASS MOPS BE BY CG |
| 06ULAANBAATAR750 |
7th Rotation of Mongolian Troops Departs for Iraq [...] One hundred Mongolian troops departed today for Iraq, where they will provide force protection at Camp Echo for Polish troops in the Multinational Force. The six month deployment is Mongolia's 7th rotation of troops to Iraq since 2003. The dawn departure ceremony was attended by the Charge, [...] |
2006-10-04 00:27:00 | Embassy Ulaanbaatar | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR PREL KPKO MG IZ AF YI SL TU BE |
| 06USUNNEWYORK1235 |
1267 COMMITTEE: BELGIAN DE-LISTING REQUEST [...] (U) This is an Action Request. Please see Para 7. 2. (C) SUMMARY: The Belgian Mission recently provided more information to USUN about the background of two individuals for whom Belgium has requested de-listing from the 1267 (al-Qaida/Taliban) Committee's sanctions list. The information w [...] |
2006-06-19 20:17:00 | USUN New York | SECRET | ETTC KTFN EFIN UNSC PREL PGOV BE |
| 06USUNNEWYORK2182 |
BELGIUM RELUCTANT TO TAKE CTC OR 1267 CHAIRS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgian PermRep Verbeke told Amb Wolff on November 21 that Belgium is reluctant to assume the Chairmanship of the UNSC's Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) because of resource constraints. He also said Belgium is disinclined to accept the 1267 (al-Qaida/Taliban) Sanctions Committe [...] |
2006-11-22 21:24:00 | USUN New York | CONFIDENTIAL | ETTC KTFN EFIN UNSC PREL PGOV BE |
| 06USUNNEWYORK352 |
AMBASSADOR WOLFF'S FEBRUARY 21 MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: During a February 22, meeting Ambassador Wolff and Belgian Ambassador Johan Verbeke discussed the Human Rights Council, Peacebuilding Commission and U.S.-EU cooperation. Both Ambassadors agreed that the U.S. and EU needed to cooperate more closely to avoid having our mutual inte [...] |
2006-02-24 23:36:00 | USUN New York | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KUNR EUN HPKO EAID BE |
| 06WARSAW341 |
DEFENDING ODIHR ELECTION MONITORING [...] (C) Polish MFA Deputy Director for Security Policy (OSCE Affairs) Marek Ziolkowski assured us February 28 that the Polish government shares our concerns about Belgian FM (and OSCE Chairman-in-Office) De Gucht's proposal to send his own representatives to observe the elections monitoring process [...] |
2006-03-01 10:27:00 | Embassy Warsaw | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM BE BY PL OSCE |
| 06YEREVAN666 |
ARMENIA'S ECONOMY INSULATED FROM PLANE CRASH, [...] (C) On May 3, an Armavia flight to Sochi crashed into the Black Sea, killing all 113 aboard. Two days later, a fire in a Brussels maintenance hangar destroyed another Armavia aircraft as well as a second plane owned by another Armenian company. Investigations into both the crash and the fire [...] |
2006-05-12 13:05:00 | Embassy Yerevan | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR EAID PREL RS BE AM |
| 07ANKARA336 |
ANKARA DELIGHTED WITH PKK ARRESTS IN FRANCE AND [...] (S) Summary: Turkish MFA Director General for Security Guven stressed the importance of the recent French and Belgian arrests of PKK individuals and looked forward to further cooperation with the French on the case. At the same time, Guven noted French concerns about press reports crediting [...] |
2007-02-15 15:32:00 | Embassy Ankara | SECRET | KTFN PTER EFIN FRU TU BE |
| 07ANKARA661 |
PKK: PUSHING INTRA-EUROPEAN COOPERATION ON S/CT [...] (S) Summary: Turkish MFA Security Affairs DG Hayati Guven recommends that S/CT Urbancic use his travel to Paris, Brussels and Copenhagen next week to maximize intra-European information-sharing on PKK financial operations. He stressed the financial links between the PKK financiers arrested i [...] |
2007-03-22 17:14:00 | Embassy Ankara | SECRET | EFIN PTER KTFN TU JO IZ FR DA BE |
| 07BANGKOK6012 |
THAILAND COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR S/WCI AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR WAR CRIMES ISSUES CLINT WILLIAMSON AND S/WCI DEPUTY MILBERT SHIN [...] (SBU) Post warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to S/WCI Ambassador Clint Williamson and Deputy Milbert Shin from December 6-7, 2007. 2. (SBU) Hotel reservations (confirmation numbers: 65621 and 656022) have been made at: -- Intercontinental Hotel Tel: 66-2-656-0444 Fax: 6 [...] |
2007-11-30 11:41:00 | Embassy Bangkok | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OTRA OVIP KAWC TH JA CB NL BE KJUST |
| 07BEIJING3117 |
MAY 10 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SPECIAL REP FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS; DARFUR; TAINTED PRODUCTS; BUSH-HU; HUANG JU; DALAI LAMA; SED; IPR; VISITS [...] Key points at the May 10 MFA Press Conference made by MFA Spokeswoman Jiang Yu were: -- Liu Guijin has been appointed to the newly created position of "special representative for African affairs" where he will focus on the Darfur issue. -- China will send a team of 275 engineers to Darfur [...] |
2007-05-10 10:23:00 | Embassy Beijing | UNCLASSIFIED | PRE ETRD SU XA XW ZU PM UK NL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1048 |
ASKING BELGIUM TO TAKE GUANTANAMO DETAINEES [...] (C/NF) CDA IMBRIE DISCUSSED REF REQUEST FOR BELGIUM TO ACCEPT NON-BELGIAN DETAINEES AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHER COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT THEM WITH FM KAREL DE GUCHT ON 3/28/2007. HE OFFERED A FULLER BRIEFING (TO BE DRAWN FROM REFTELS AND DETAINEE INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT) AS DESIRED. 2. (C/NF [...] |
2007-03-28 11:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER PINR KAWC BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1087 |
BARRIERS TO INTEGRATION: BELGIAN MUSLIMS FACE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES [...] (U) SUMMARY: More than half of Belgium's immigrants from Morocco and Turkey (nearly all of whom are Muslim) live below the Belgian poverty line, defined as 777 euros (approximately $1,000) or less, per household, per month. This finding is from "Poverty in the Migrant Population," the first pa [...] |
2007-03-30 10:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SOCI SMIG ECON KISL KPAO BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1119 |
EU TROIKA DISCOURAGED ABOUT SOMALI RECONCILIATION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-02 15:36:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SO BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1144 |
HUMANITARIAN FUNDING ACCORDING TO NEED: DONORS [...] (U) State/PRM Policy Team Leader and USAID/OFDA Technical Assistance Team Leader attended a Good Humanitarian Donorship workshop in Brussels March 19-20 to explore donor approaches to allocating resources according to need. The workshop invited donor governments, humanitarian agencies, and a [...] |
2007-04-04 09:46:00 | USEU Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM EAID BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1164 |
REQUEST FOR RESETTLEMENT OF TWO ADDITIONAL [...] (C/NF) CHARGE DISCUSSED ISSUE OF BELGIUM ACCEPTING GUANTANAMO DETAINEES WITH MFA DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF WALTER STEVENS ON 4/3/2007. 2. (C/NF) STEVENS ADVISED THAT THE INTERMINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY (MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, JUSTICE, INTERIOR, AND DEFENSE) DI [...] |
2007-04-05 09:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER KAWC BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1172 |
Belgian Francophones and Flemings More Alike [...] Summary: Joint polling by French-language and Dutch- language newspapers in Belgium has revealed interesting trends in Flemish, Walloon, and Bruxellois thinking about their fellow citizens. Some of the results were unsurprising: Dutch-speakers were considered by most respondents as being gen [...] |
2007-04-05 12:23:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SOCI BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1180 |
BELGIAN FM DE GUCHT'S PLANNED APRIL 10-12 VISIT TO [...] (C) Belgian Foreign Minister De Gucht's planned visit on April 9-10 to the DRC is facing serious obstacles, according to Belgian Great Lakes Special Envoy Smets. As of April 5, the DRC authorities had yet to give any formal sanction to the trip, or to offer any indication that De Gucht would m [...] |
2007-04-05 15:39:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE CG |
| 07BRUSSELS1208 |
EU AND US DISCUSS TURKEY, CROATIA AT COELA TROIKA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. EUR/SE Director Douglas Silliman and EUR/SCE Director Christopher Hoh met with counterparts in the European Council, Commission, and current and incoming presidencies to discuss EU candidate countries Turkey and Croatia at a regularly scheduled COELA troika March 21. EU interl [...] |
2007-04-11 09:17:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE CR CY EUN PREL TK TU |
| 07BRUSSELS1209 |
EU AND US DISCUSS TURKEY, CROATIA AT COELA TROIKA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-11 09:17:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE CR CY EUN PREL TK TU |
| 07BRUSSELS1222 |
BELGIUM IS ON TRACK TO FULLY IMPLEMENT UNSCR 1737 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In conformity with its role as chair of the UNSC Iran sanctions committee, Belgium has pledged full compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1737 (ref D) and 1747. Belgian financial institutions appear to be fully implementing relevant freeze obl [...] |
2007-04-11 15:28:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ETTC KNNP KTFN BE IR |
| 07BRUSSELS1233 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: April 11, 2007 [...] (U) American package delivery firm Federal Express was named ?Best Employer? in Belgium for 2007 in March. FedEx's over 800 employees in Belgium lauded the company?s attention to developing the talent of its workers. Employees also expressed appreciation for the company?s ethnic diversity ? [...] |
2007-04-12 13:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINT EINV SENV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1238 |
Environmental Problems and Progress May Color [...] (U) Summary. A recent study found that Belgium's ecological footprint is among Europe's worst, as it consumes far more resources than it produces. Nonetheless, progress has been made in cleaning up Belgium's environment in the past ten years, according to a new OECD assessment, with air and [...] |
2007-04-12 15:34:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV EINV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS124 |
BELGIAN PM PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE FURTHER SUPPORT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: GOB officials have stated that Belgium will be represented at the January 25 Lebanon Donors' Conference in Paris by Prime Minister Verhofstadt and Minister of Cooperation and Development Armand De Decker. Although GOB officials confirm that Belgium plans to announce further sup [...] |
2007-01-16 17:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN LE BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1254 |
BELGIANS PONDER LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION AT IRAQ [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of Belgium will be represented at the signing of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) on May 3 in Sharm el-Sheikh, at a minimum by its ambassador to Egypt. (Note: The Belgian political scene, including the agendas of ministers, is currently dominated by pre [...] |
2007-04-13 16:40:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EAID EFIN PGOV PREL BE IZ |
| 07BRUSSELS1268 |
BELGIUM: ASSESSMENT ON KOSOVO UNSCR [...] (C) Embassy spoke April 16 with Thomas Antoine, the Belgian MFA's Director for the Balkans. Antoine said Russian Ambassador Lukov met with MFA officials two weeks ago to discuss Kosovo. Antoine indicated there was no lobbying, but Lukov did discuss Russian concerns about the proposals on Ko [...] |
2007-04-16 13:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EU PGOV PREL RS UNMIK UNSC YI BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1315 |
Belgian Regions Mastering Export Control [...] (SBU) Summary. In 2003, the Belgian federal government handed over the responsibility and final authority of licensing arms exports to the regional governments of Wallonia, Flanders, and Brussels Capital. Wallonia and Flanders, which together account for 95 percent of Belgium's exports, have [...] |
2007-04-19 10:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC PARM PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1316 |
Belgian Regions Mastering Export Control [...] (SBU) Summary. In 2003, the Belgian federal government handed over the responsibility and final authority of licensing arms exports to the regional governments of Wallonia, Flanders, and Brussels Capital. Wallonia and Flanders, which together account for 95 percent of Belgium's exports, have [...] |
2007-04-19 10:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ETTC PARM PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1324 |
BELGIUM: HIGHEST COURT QUASHES DHKP-C VERDICT [...] Belgium's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, on April 19 quashed the November 7 ruling of the Ghent Appellate Court imposing stiffer sentences on three convicted DHKP-C militants, and confirming the sentences handed down by a lower court in Bruges in February 2006 to four other DHKP-C milit [...] |
2007-04-19 15:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER BE TU |
| 07BRUSSELS1371 |
U.S.-Belgium Confidentiality Agreement Signed [...] (SBU) On April 23, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner Murray Lumpkin signed a Bilateral Confidentiality Agreement with Piet Vanthemsche, head of SIPDIS the recently created Belgian Federal Agency for Medications and Health Products (AFMPS). Deputy Econ Counselor re [...] |
2007-04-24 04:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO ETRD BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1401 |
BELGIUM'S SUPPORT CONTINUED PRESSURE ON CUBA, [...] (C) On April 23, polcouns and poloff discussed reftel with Ambassador VanDessel, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Belgian MFA. Jean-Luc Bodson, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister, was present also. Ambassador VanDessel noted he was looking forward to his planned [...] |
2007-04-26 13:11:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL CU BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1408 |
DHKP-C CONVICTIONS OVERTURNED BUT BELGIANS REMAIN [...] (SBU) Belgium's highest court, the Cour de Cassation (Supreme Court), on April 19 quashed the November 2006 ruling of the Ghent Appellate Court that imposed stiffer sentences on three convicted members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), and reaffirmed the sentences [...] |
2007-04-26 15:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS142 |
CODEL WEXLER MEETING WITH FM DE GUCHT [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: ON JANUARY 16, CONGRESSMAN ROBERT WEXLER IN HIS ROLE AS INCOMING HFRC EUROPEAN SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR MET WITH BELGIAN FM KAREL DE GUCHT. WEXLER AND DE GUCHT DISCUSSED HOW CLOSE THE U.S. AND EU ARE ON MOST FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. DE GUCHT ENCOURAGED THE U.S. TO ENGAGE ON THE MIDDLE [...] |
2007-01-17 14:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1483 |
SCENESETTER FOR BELGIAN FM DE GUCHT'S MAY 11 [...] (C) Summary: Belgian FM De Gucht has three goals for his May 11 meetings in the Department with the Secretary and others -- raising USG consciousness on Great Lakes issues, gaining a firsthand impression of USG goals on Russia, and garnering favorable press as Belgium's June 10 federal electi [...] |
2007-05-03 15:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | CG PGOV PREL US BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1549 |
BELGIANS REMAIN STRONGLY AGAINST BELARUS CANDIDACY [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-10 09:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PHUM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1558 |
BELGIUM'S 2007 ELECTION ? WHERE THE PARTIES [...] (U) In 1983 some 300,000 people marched through the streets of Brussels to protest the deployment American cruise missiles in Belgium. It was the largest protest registered since World War II, and almost brought down government of Wilfred Martens. Despite predictions that the issue would hav [...] |
2007-05-10 12:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1561 |
BELGIAN SUPPORT FOR UNSC ACTION ON SPECIAL [...] (C) The head of Belgium's UNSC cell Rudi Brieven assured us on May 9 that Belgium (GOB) is "fully supportive" of a UNSC resolution to establish a Special Tribunal for Lebanon and will vote in favor in any event. The principles behind Belgium's position are: (1) that the authority of UNSC "de [...] |
2007-05-10 14:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC LE SY PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1576 |
BELGIUM'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN [...] (U) Belgian electoral campaigns are short affairs, lasting little more than a month, with important decisions having been made long before the electorate is called to the polls. At this point, the parties have completed their candidate tickets, which translates into a guaranteed seat in the n [...] |
2007-05-11 11:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1597 |
Belgian Input for 2007 Investment Disputes Report [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-11 15:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN EINV ELAB BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1642 |
BELGIAN ELECTIONS PROSPECTIVE: UP FOR GRABS [...] (SBU) Summary: With the June 10 national elections fast approaching, Belgium's political leaders are beginning to focus on the nitty-gritty mathematical aspects of forming the next governing coalition. Most observers believe there are four possibilities -- continuation of the present Flemish [...] |
2007-05-16 13:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1672 |
BELGIAN ELECTIONS: FAR RIGHT VLAAMS BELANG SAYS [...] (SBU) Fresh off a disappointing showing in the October 8, 2006, local Belgian elections, where it failed to achieve a much sought after breakthrough in the larger cities of Flanders, the far right, ultra-nationalist Vlaams Belang (VB) finds itself pondering observations by political observers [...] |
2007-05-21 13:13:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1675 |
BELGIANS PLAN TO ATTEND MAY 31-JUNE 1 [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-21 14:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | OSCE PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1698 |
SCENESETTER FOR SPEAKER PELOSI'S MAY 30 MEETING [...] (U) Summary: Your meeting with Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt is more than a courtesy call with a close friend of the United States. Prime Minister Verhofstadt, who will be entering the home stretch of a tough reelection battle, wants to learn more about your thinking on environmental issues and [...] |
2007-05-22 15:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL SENV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1778 |
BELGIUM: REACTION TO PROPOSED RUSSIAN DRAFT OF AN [...] (C) Poloff spoke with Thierry Vuylsteke, Director of the MFA's OSCE office. Vuylsteke said Belgium did not see the need for an OSCE charter, since the OSCE works well with its existing institutions and within its current framework. He said the idea was raised but did not come to fruition at [...] |
2007-05-31 14:39:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1787 |
NATO, AFGHANISTAN, AND BELGIUM: JUNE 10 ELECTIONS [...] (C) In response to reftel demarche, Belgian FM De Gucht told DCM on May 30 that the June 10 federal polls limit Belgium's ability to be responsive to NATO's request. De Gucht said that while his party (the party of the Foreign and Prime Ministers) was sympathetic to the request from NATO, the [...] |
2007-06-01 10:51:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | NATO PINS PREL MOPS MARR BE AF |
| 07BRUSSELS1843 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: June 5, 2007 [...] (U) On May 22, Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt detailed his strategy to improve Belgium's investment climate over the past eight years, and his plans for the coming years in a talk to AmCham members. In addition to prudent macroeconomic fiscal management (balanced budgets, paying down the fed [...] |
2007-06-05 15:20:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINT EINV SENV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1860 |
CFE EXTRAORDINARY CONFERENCE PREPARATIONS: [...] No summary [...] |
2007-06-06 15:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KCFE NATO PARM PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1871 |
AMBASSADOR'S INITIAL MEETINGS WITH PM VERHOFSTADT [...] (C) SUMMARY: IN AN HOUR-LONG MEETING, AMBASSADOR REVIEWED WITH PM VERHOFSTADT KEY ISSUES IN THE U.S.-BELGIAN RELATIONSHIP INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT'S CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE, TROOPS FOR AFGHANISTAN, AND RECONSTRUCTION AID AND DEBT RELIEF FOR IRAQ. PM REVIEWED PROSPECTS FOR THE FEDERAL ELECTIO [...] |
2007-06-07 11:39:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MILI CG BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1878 |
Belgians React to Sarkozy's Influence [...] Overall, Belgians have welcomed the election of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. He is particularly supported by this country's northern, largely conservative Flemish majority. Liberal (Flemish VLD) Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt was quick to extend congratulations to France's new presiden [...] |
2007-06-07 15:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BE EU |
| 07BRUSSELS1882 |
LETERME'S CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS GAIN MOMENTUM IN [...] (C) With the election just days away, the latest polls show the alliance of the centrist Christian Democrats and the moderate nationalist New Flemish Alliance (CD&V/NVA), headed by CD&V's Yves Leterme, leading in Flanders with close to thirty percent of the votes. If the voters confirm these [...] |
2007-06-08 08:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1892 |
Belgian Regions and Federal Taxes - Paying [...] (SBU) Summary. The "good news" story of Belgian federal fiscal management is less lustrous than it appears. Ongoing devolution of responsibilities from the federal to the regional level since 1993 has created growing pressure by the regions for more revenue to perform their tasks, but taxing [...] |
2007-06-08 13:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN EINV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS1894 |
BELGIAN VIEWS ON IRAN SANCTIONS -- KEEP GOING [...] (C) Werner Bauwens (protect), director of the Belgian MFA's non-pro division, discussed UNSCRs 1737 and 1747 with visiting A/S Paula DeSutter. Describing 1747 as more effective than the other because of it targeted specific names and because it reflected a broad, carefully cultivated consensu [...] |
2007-06-08 15:55:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL EFIN ETTC KTFN BE IR |
| 07BRUSSELS193 |
BELGIUM: GAERC DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-01-19 15:55:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EUN PGOV PREL IR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2041 |
BELGIAN COALITION FORMATION -- LETERME EXPECTS A [...] (U) Summary: During a June 20 meeting with Ambassador Fox, Flemish Minister President Leterme said he planned to put together a four-party Christian Democrat/Liberal coalition if, as expected, King Albert asked him to form the next federal cabinet. Leterme intends to reach out to the opposit [...] |
2007-06-21 14:14:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2114 |
BELGIAN FM TAKES TOUGH LINE ON KOSOVO WITH SERB [...] (C) During a June 27, 2007 meeting in Brussels with Serbian FM Jeremik, Belgian FM De Gucht urged the Serb leadership to adopt a "realistic approach" to the Kosovo independence issue. An official in De Gucht's cabinet who was present at the meeting said De Gucht pushed Jeremik to use the curr [...] |
2007-06-27 15:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL YI AL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS215 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON KOSOVO STATUS PROCESS TIMELINE [...] (C) Ambassador Korologos spoke with Belgian Foreign Minister DeGucht January 19 to urge support for UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plans and timeline for concluding the Kosovo future status process (reftel). DeGucht was receptive to our arguments and expressed support for Ahtisaari. [...] |
2007-01-22 16:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UN UNMIK PGOV YI EU OPDC BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2164 |
BELGIAN ECONOMIC STEWPOT: June 25, 2007 [...] (U) Belgium's macro-economic outlook is quite favorable, according to projections released by the Belgian National Bank (central bank). The BNB revised the 2007 GDP growth estimate upward from 2.1 to 2.5 percent, compared with 3.0 percent growth reached in 2006. BNB forecasts 2008 GDP growth [...] |
2007-07-03 12:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINT EINV SENV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2188 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON WEB-BASED INFORMATION PORTAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-07-05 13:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KGIC PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2211 |
As Belgian Cabinet Formation Hits Snag, Former [...] On July 5, Belgian King Albert II tasked former Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, a Flemish Christian Democrat (CD&V), with a delicate mission ? finding a way to form a government that can implement constitutional reform in a way that is acceptable to the Flemish voters who want change and the [...] |
2007-07-06 15:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2218 |
BELGIANS EXPRESS INCREASED CONCERNS ABOUT DRC [...] (C) Summary: During a meeting on June 26, 2007 with A/S Frazer, Belgian MFA Permanent Secretary Grauls expressed great concern about the Kabila regime's alarming loss of popularity, continuing instability in Eastern Congo, and the looming threat of another Rwandan incursion. The Belgian side [...] |
2007-07-09 12:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINS PREL BE CG SU SF |
| 07BRUSSELS2239 |
TRANSFER OF BELGIAN EQUIPMENT TO VENEZUELA [...] (S) In response to Reftel, PolMilOff demarched both Belgian Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Walloon General Commission of International Relations (CGRI) about the reported recent transfer by Walloon defense contractor FN Herstal of Wassenaar-controlled T-100/200 sighting systems to Venezuela. D [...] |
2007-07-11 08:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | ETTC MARR PREL VE MASS BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2298 |
BELGIAN MUSLIMS: IDENTITY AND INTEGRATION AMONG [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: As in other western European countries, Muslims in Belgium have reached the stage where, despite years of residence, they feel - and are often perceived as -- strangers in their own, albeit adopted land. Of primarily Moroccan and Turkish origin, Belgian Muslims seek increasing [...] |
2007-07-16 12:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | SOCI PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2313 |
Vlaams Belang Gains Position in Belgium's House [...] (SBU) The far-right, nationalist Vlaams Belang (VB) party set political observers talking with its win of a vice-presidency slot in Belgium's House of Representatives July 12, in a vote that saw Flemish and Francophone House members opposing each other. VB is the fifth largest party in the H [...] |
2007-07-18 13:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS233 |
BELGIAN PLANS ON AFGHANISTAN AT JANUARY 26 [...] (C) Per refs A and B instructions, we outlined U.S. thinking on Afghanistan with the three key players on this issue in Belgium -- the Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry, and the Defense Ministry. Our contacts were pleased to learn of USG plans to provide additional support for Af [...] |
2007-01-24 05:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AF BE EAID MARR MOPS PINS PREL |
| 07BRUSSELS2393 |
Belgian Leader Leterme [...] (U) For Yves Leterme, the first week of trying to form Belgium's next government has been a sobering experience. His interlocutors at the government formation talks have given him a rude welcome to the premier division of Belgium's political world. To make matters worse, Leterme himself ha [...] |
2007-07-27 14:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2401 |
DOD GC HAYNES MEETS ON GUANTANAMO WITH BELGIAN [...] (C/NOFORN) SUMMARY. On July 20, 2007, DOD General Counsel William J. Haynes II and Belgian Senator Anne-Marie Lizin discussed the way ahead for finding recipient countries for the 80 internees still incarcerated at Guantanamo naval base. Lizin reported that the new French government, specific [...] |
2007-07-30 08:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS242 |
SCENESETTER FOR THE SECRETARY'S JANUARY 26, 2007 [...] (C) Summary: We expect Belgian FM De Gucht to have three major subjects on his mind when he meets the Secretary in Brussels on January 26 -- Kosovo, Iran, and Russia. You will have worked over Kosovo at the lunch, but you can usefully reinforce next steps with the Belgians during your discus [...] |
2007-01-24 18:11:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2431 |
BELGIANS SUPPORT DARFUR RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-07-31 14:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KPKO PREL PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2438 |
BELGIAN REACTION TO UNESCO HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-08-02 05:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2470 |
BELGIAN EXPORT CONTROL OFFICIALS SAY NO TO [...] (c) Acting Econcouns delivered U.S. views outlined in para 4, Ref A concerning the Iran-related export request to Karolien Maertens, Export Control Attache to the Ministry of the Brussels Region. Maertens appreciated receiving U.S. thinking on the specific export application (Ref B). She ad [...] |
2007-08-02 14:40:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KNNP MNUC PARM IR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS253 |
EUROPEAN COMMISSION OUTLINES PNR-STYLE APPROACH TO [...] (C/NF) Summary and comment. Treasury Deputy Assistant General Counsel, James Freis, and Michael Jacobson, from Treasury,s Terrorism Finance Office, met with the European Commission, the Council Secretariat and key member states in Brussels to discuss how to resolve the SWIFT issue January 16 [...] |
2007-01-25 14:07:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PETR KJUST EFIN KTFN PGOV EUN BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2562 |
KOSOVO: DEMARCHE TO BELGIANS ON NEXT STEPS [...] (C) Poloff discussed reftel points August 8 with Thomas Antoine, the Belgian MFA's Director for the Balkans. Antoine reiterated Belgium's support for Ahtisaari's recommendations, calling them a good starting point for new talks. While noting that the "aspirations of both parties must be res [...] |
2007-08-10 09:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KV YI UN PGOV EU PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2594 |
BELGIUM INFORMATION FOR THE GLOBAL INITIATIVE [...] Belgium is unable to participate in the August 26-29, 2007 conference in Garmisch, Germany, to establish an information portal for the GI. However, in general, Belgium is please to join and participate in portal exchange on secured transmissions, as long as information on the portal is trans [...] |
2007-08-14 15:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER KGIC PARM PREL BE AL |
| 07BRUSSELS2608 |
ECONOMIC GROWTH OF BELGIUM'S WALLOON REGION [...] (U) Summary. One of the issues Belgian politicians are grappling with as they form a new government is how to craft economic policies given the differences between the economies of Wallonia and Flanders. As Wallonia's top investor, the United States has an interest in the overall economic hea [...] |
2007-08-16 11:55:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ELAB BE |
| 07BRUSSELS263 |
ON TAP: BELGIAN BEER BREWS BIG BUSINESS [...] (U) SUMMARY: Long before it was selected as the capital for the European Union in 1958, Belgium was a capital of beer. The rich variety of choices (115 breweries produce nearly 500 different beers) makes Belgium a prime destination for beer enthusiasts. The world's biggest brewer is Belgian, [...] |
2007-01-26 10:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EIND EINV ETRD ELAB BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2649 |
BELGIAN RESPONSE TO U.S. NON-PAPER ON CFE AND [...] (C) Poloff relayed nonpaper and talking points August 20 to Bruno Angelet, in the MFA's Office of Foreign and Security Policy. Angelet thought the U.S. proposal, with the proposed timeline of parallel actions, "looked good." He said Brussels had been concerned about the current stalemate wit [...] |
2007-08-21 13:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO KCFE PARM PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2675 |
SUPPORT FOR AMISOM: BELGIAN ENGAGEMENT WITH [...] (U) This cable contains an action request. Please see para 5 below. 2. (SBU) Subsequent to Ref A, Belgium's Senior Envoy to the Great Lakes Region Jozef Smets gave polmiloff a more thorough and balanced view of Belgian military contributions to Burundi. 3. (C) Smets reported on the mid [...] |
2007-08-23 13:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PHUM PREL KPKO SO BU BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2686 |
Leterme's Exit Means Further Delays Before [...] (U) Summary: A prolonged period of uncertainty seems likely to follow Flemish Christian Democratic (CD&V) leader Leterme's August 23 decision to halt his attempt to form Belgium's next government. His efforts broke down after it became clear that his potential coalition partners (the Flemis [...] |
2007-08-24 12:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2748 |
BELGIAN MFA EXPANDS ON IRNA REPORT OF ALLEGED [...] (C) MFA Director for Multilateral Affairs Jean-Arthur Regibeau called post on Aug. 31 to clarify and provide additional information to Reftel on the August 28 Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) report that MFA Undersecretary Jan Grauls said in a visit to Tehran that Belgian small- and medium- [...] |
2007-08-31 12:51:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ETTC EPET IR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2776 |
BELGIANS AGREE WITH DISCREET EU APPROACH ON SYRIAN [...] (C) In response to Ref B. demarche and in line with his initial, Aug. 29 response to demarche Ref B, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Syria desk officer Hendrik Van der Velde gave us a readout on Sept. 5 of the EU-coordinated demarche to Syria concerning the case of Syrian MP Riyad Seif. Van der V [...] |
2007-09-05 14:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SY BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2808 |
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS TO SEE RIAD SEIF, [...] (C) Nine deputies of the European Parliament (EP) are to meet with Syrian dissident MP Riad Seif in Damascus on September 12, 2007, Belgian MFA desk officer for the Levant Hendrik Van der Velde informed post on September 6. Seif will be part of a party of representatives of the eight organiz [...] |
2007-09-07 05:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EUN KDEM PHUM PREL SY BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2855 |
BELGIANS QUERY VALUE OF NEW BURMA RESOLUTION; [...] (C) Rudi Brieven, head of Belgium's UNSC cell, assured us on September 14 that Belgium would "of course be supportive" of a new resolution condemning Burma's human rights record. The Belgians agree with the idea of placing a presentation to the UNSC by Special Envoy Gambari a footnote into the [...] |
2007-09-12 12:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM UNSC BU BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2884 |
NEW DHKP-C TERROR TRIAL BEGINS [...] (SBU) Proceedings began September 13 in the Antwerp Appellate Court in the re-trial of Fehriye Erdal and other members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C). In April, Belgium's highest court, the Cour de Cassation (Supreme Court), quashed the November 2006 ruling of [...] |
2007-09-14 14:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2888 |
EU BORDER MISSION FOR LEBANON - STRONG BELGIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-09-14 15:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SY IS LE EUN BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2892 |
BELGIANS URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION ON IRAN TRADE; [...] (C) Summary: Belgian FM De Gucht plans to visit Iran on September 15, 2007, according to MFA Secretary General Grauls, who told the Ambassador that the Minister wanted to escort home the Belgian citizen just released by Iranian criminals after being kidnapped one month ago. The Ambassador to [...] |
2007-09-14 16:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL ETTC IR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2927 |
BELGIANS PAY A PRICE TO SECURE RELEASE OF HOSTAGE [...] (C) Belgian FM De Gucht's recent success in gaining the release of two Belgians kidnapped last month in Iran came at a price. In response to a direct question from the Ambassador to De Gucht during a meeting on September 18, 2007, De Gucht described a complicated three way deal of which the h [...] |
2007-09-18 17:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE IR |
| 07BRUSSELS2928 |
BELGIAN FM DE GUCHT SEEKING BRIEF SESSION WITH THE [...] (U) Action Request -- See paragraph five. 2. (C) During a September 18, 2007 meeting on the situation in the Congo and on relations with Iran (septel), Belgian FM De Gucht told the Ambassador that it was important for him to talk to the Secretary for approximately 15 to 20 minutes about the [...] |
2007-09-18 17:40:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL CG BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2941 |
BELGIANS TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL TO LEBANON SPECIAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-09-19 15:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PREL LE BE NL |
| 07BRUSSELS2959 |
BELGIAN PLANS FOR SEPTEMBER 23-24 VISIT OF DRC [...] (C) DRC President Kabila now plans to visit Brussels on September 23-24, according to Belgian Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Smets, who relayed the information during a meeting with visiting U.S. Special Envoy Leader. The visit comes at an "awkward" time for Belgium, Smets noted, adding th [...] |
2007-09-20 17:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL CG BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2983 |
BELGIAN VIEWS ON EU-AFRICA SUMMIT -- OPPOSED TO [...] (C) Belgian FM De Gucht strongly supports the idea of holding the EU-Africa Summit, according to MFA African Affairs Director Trouveroy (protect). It could play a useful role in limiting Chinese influence on the continent, as well as offer a forum to discuss other important issues. That said [...] |
2007-09-24 12:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS2989 |
BELGIUM NOMINATES JUDGE FRANSEN FOR LEBANON [...] No summary [...] |
2007-09-24 15:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | BE LE PREL PTER UNCRIME |
| 07BRUSSELS2995 |
DRC PRESIDENT KABILA'S VISIT TO BELGIUM -- [...] (C) Summary: DRC President Kabila told the Belgian leadership on September 24 that he would continue his military build up in North Kivu as a means of pressing the Nkunda forces to the bargaining table. He added that he would soon organize a reconciliation conference in Eastern Congo involvi [...] |
2007-09-25 09:33:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL EMIN BE CG |
| 07BRUSSELS3021 |
"THIS IS NOT A CRISIS" -- PREMATURE PREDICTIONS OF [...] (SBU) Summary: Belgium recently passed an important milestone -- 100 days under a caretaker administration while the politicians try to form a government that can command a majority in parliament. This situation has precipitated an unwelcome (for the Belgians at least) deluge of speculation [...] |
2007-09-28 13:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ECON BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3026 |
Embassy Brussels ftaar Evening: A Multicultural Success [...] Ambassador and Mrs. Sam Fox osted fifty persons at an Iftaar on September 25, 2007. The focus this year was on younger guests and sharing experiences as members of diverse societies. Members of Belgium's Moroccan and Turkish communities present included young politicians, journalists, studen [...] |
2007-09-28 15:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SOCI KISL PHUM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3038 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIANS ON COMBATING PKK TERRORISM IN [...] (S) Poloff delivered ref A demarche to Andre Ceulemans, the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Political Director and Adviser for Counterterrorism Issues. Ceulemans stressed Belgium's commitment to countering the PKK, saying Belgium was already "very conscious" of PKK activities and financial transac [...] |
2007-10-01 14:13:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | PTER PREL TU BE |
| 07BRUSSELS306 |
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY KIMMITT'S JANUARY [...] (C) Summary: Belgium will do all possible to insure the vigorous implementation of UNSCR 1737, Belgian FM De Gucht assured Treasury Deputy Secretary Kimmitt during a one hour meeting in Brussels on January 23, 2007. De Gucht indicated that he personally was engaged on the issue, and that all [...] |
2007-01-30 10:23:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE IR |
| 07BRUSSELS3064 |
RIGHT WING VLAAMS BELANG SAYS SUPPORT FOR FLEMISH [...] (SBU) With over one hundred days without a government, speculation in the international media rapidly spread about the future of Belgium. Touted to become Prime Minister after the June 10 elections, Flemish Christian Democratic (CD&V) leader Yves Leterme's efforts to form a government broke [...] |
2007-10-03 15:20:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3184 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR [...] (SBU) Poloff discussed reftel points October 16 with Christiaan Tanghe, MFA Director for Asia. Tanghe said Belgium had very few assistance programs in Asia and no direct aid programs to Burma at the moment. He indicated there were a few "partial programs" that supported small scale NGO proj [...] |
2007-10-18 09:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM BM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3245 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON U.S. SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA [...] (SBU) Poloff relayed information about U.S. sanctions on Burma to Christiaan Tanghe, MFA Director for Asia. Belgian Foreign Minister De Gucht has called "the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations unacceptable" in Burma and has called for the Burmese regime to enter into a dialogue wi [...] |
2007-10-26 12:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM BM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3247 |
BELGIUM:DEMARCHE ON CUBA EMBARGO RESOLUTION AT THE [...] (C) Poloff discussed reftel points with Michel Versailles and Benedicte Frankinet, Director of the MFA's Office of UN Affairs. Versailles said Belgium's past voting patterns had favored Cuba's resolution. While they were still reviewing the resolution, they saw no elements at this point to c [...] |
2007-10-26 14:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | UNGA ETRD PHUM UN CU PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3298 |
ATTEMPT TO FORM NEXT BELGIAN GOVERNMENT IN DANGER [...] (SBU) Summary: Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme's 148 day attempt to form a new Belgian government could collapse entirely during the week of November 5. If he is unable to forge an agreement on the contentious Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde redistricting issue by November 7, at least two o [...] |
2007-11-06 16:46:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3308 |
DESPITE BITTER WORDS, POLITICIANS FIND A WAY TO [...] (SBU) In a typical twist of Belgian politics, what looked yesterday like an argument that could result in the country's dissolution, now looks like a garden variety row between francophones and Flemings. Shortly before the Flemish members of the lower house Interior Affairs Committee voted un [...] |
2007-11-08 15:20:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3351 |
BELGIAN GOVERNMENT FORMATION - ADRIFT, BUT STILL [...] (SBU) Summary: Yves Leterme's attempt to form a new Belgian government is still alive, but there seems little chance that it will succeed anytime soon. A recent series of inter-communal flaps, all centered around the bilingual communes surrounding Brussels, have brought a pause to Leterme's [...] |
2007-11-16 15:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3390 |
USG DELEGATION APPROACHES BELGIUM ON TERRORISM [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: An inter-agency USG team, led by S/CT Counterterrorism Coordinator Dell Dailey, met with representatives of Belgium's counterterrorism, law enforcement, and intelligence communities, as well as parliamentarians, to discuss Al Qaida's increasing threat to Europe and the West, a [...] |
2007-11-27 09:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER TU BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3438 |
Expanded Role for Caretaker Prime Minister the [...] The King has resumed his consultations following the collapse of Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme's six- month government formation attempt. He was closeted with Leterme at midday on December 3, having started his session almost two hours earlier. Caretaker Prime Minister Guy Verhofst [...] |
2007-12-03 12:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3453 |
SCENESETTER FOR THE SECRETARY'S DECEMBER 6 MEETING [...] (C) Summary: For the foreseeable future, the continuing Belgian government formation crisis gives us no alternative to working closely with the current caretaker government in which Karel De Gucht serves as Foreign Minister. Generally speaking, this is good news since the current government [...] |
2007-12-04 16:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV BE US |
| 07BRUSSELS3487 |
BRUSSELS BILAT BREW: December 12, 2007 [...] (U) A study published in October by the Vienna University of Technology ranked Ghent (16) and Brugge (20) as two among the top 20 of European 'Smart Cities'. The survey ranked medium-sized (100,000-500,000 inhabitants) cities in Europe, using a system that evaluated the economy, people, govern [...] |
2007-12-12 07:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINT EINV SENV BE CH |
| 07BRUSSELS3491 |
BELGIUM SUPPORTS CONSENSUS ON RENEWED IRAQ [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-12 15:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM PREL UNSC IZ EFIN MARR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3492 |
PARIS DONORS CONFERENCE: BELGIAN ATTENDANCE AND [...] (U) Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht will represent the Royal Government of Belgium at the Dec. 17 Paris donors conference for Palestine. Belgium will contribute USD 38.75 million (26.18 Euros) to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in CY 2008, and a total of over USD 92 million (more than 62 milli [...] |
2007-12-12 16:13:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KPAL IS BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3497 |
ANTWERP DIAMOND OFFICIAL ALLEGES CHAVEZ EXPORTING [...] (C) A senior official in the Antwerp Diamond Center alleged on December 10 to DCM and ECOUNS that Venezuela may be exporting diamonds illegally through third countries, including Ghana and Congo-Brazzaville. The official explained that diamonds from Venezuela and British Guyana are geologic [...] |
2007-12-13 13:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD CF GY VE BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3505 |
PKK: FOLLOW UP ON KARTAL [...] (S/NF) Poloff discussed reftel points with Andre Ceulemans, the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Political Director and Adviser for Counterterrorism Issues, requesting a clarification of Remzi Kartal's status in Belgium. Poloff indicated the issue had become important because of contradictory infor [...] |
2007-12-14 12:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3506 |
KOSOVO STATUS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-14 12:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL YI BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3523 |
VERHOFSTADT'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR KING ALBERT - A NEW [...] (U) Belgium's two Liberal, two Christian Democratic, and francophone Socialist party finally agreed on December 18 to form an interim government. The decision followed an agonizing day of public argument and backroom arm twisting that resulted in an agreement for current caretaker Prime Minist [...] |
2007-12-19 12:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3539 |
BELGIUM'S KING ALBERT SWEARS IN VERHOFSTADT III [...] (U) King Albert II of Belgium swore in PM Guy Verhofstadt's third cabinet during the morning of December 21, 2007. Verhofstadt followed up this action with a speech outlining the ten-point plan that the interim government intended to carry out before leaving office on Easter Sunday, March 23, [...] |
2007-12-21 16:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS3540 |
RESPONDING TO TERROR THREAT, BELGIAN AUTHORITIES [...] (U) Belgian authorities have arrested 14 people believed to be planning the escape from prison of Nizar Trabelsi, a Tunisian-born former pro-soccer player convicted in 2004 of planning to attack a Belgian base used by the U.S. Air Force. The anti-terror unit of the Brussels Judicial Police mad [...] |
2007-12-21 17:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PINS PTER ASEC BE |
| 07BRUSSELS387 |
URGENT NEED FOR RESPONSE FROM DEPARTMENT ON IRAQ [...] (C) I would really appreciate it if you could take a look at the two reftels. Both concern a Belgian being held in Iraq who reportedly is awaiting sentencing, but who, again reportedly, remains under USG custody. The Belgians have been seeking our help in arranging his release. We have succ [...] |
2007-02-05 14:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL IZ BE |
| 07BRUSSELS392 |
Ambassador's Comments on Belgium and [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador has used a series of end-of-tour interviews with Belgium's print and electronic media to highlight the need for Belgium to make a greater contribution to the NATO effort in Afghanistan. His pointed comments have gained prominent attention, both as one of the lea [...] |
2007-02-05 16:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL BE AF |
| 07BRUSSELS432 |
BELGIAN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR UN AFFAIRS TO STUDY [...] No summary [...] |
2007-02-07 16:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL BE ER ET |
| 07BRUSSELS438 |
BELGIAN ELECTIONS: FAR RIGHT VLAAMS BELANG [...] (SBU) Fresh off a relatively disappointing showing in the October 8 local Belgian elections, where the far right Vlaams Belang (VB) failed to achieve a much sought after breakthrough in the larger cities of Flanders, the party finds itself struggling with an unprecedented internal crisis, one [...] |
2007-02-09 11:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS450 |
TERRORIST FINANCE: CASH SMUGGLING IN BELGIUM [...] (U) SUMMARY: Officials in the Belgian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Belgian customs, and Ministry of Justice are aware of the problem of cash smuggling and are taking steps to combat it. As required by law, Belgium is on track to implement the European Parliament and Council of the Euro [...] |
2007-02-09 16:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ETTC KTFN PTER PGOV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS477 |
What does Climate Change Mean for Belgium? [...] (U) Introduction and Summary. Publication of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report has raised the profile of the issue in Belgium and given it a place in pre-election debate. Belgium has a mixed record on environmental policy (noted reftel), and its complex federal structu [...] |
2007-02-12 15:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV EINV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS51 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: JANUARY 8, 2007 [...] (U) Both foreign and domestic investment in Belgium rose strongly in 2006. Preliminary data show that domestic investment in fixed capital in Belgium rose 3.2 percent in 2006, after declining marginally in each of the past five years. Surveyed industrial firms expected final 2006 data would [...] |
2007-01-09 17:33:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EINV EIND SOCI BE |
| 07BRUSSELS531 |
Belgian Study Faults Country for [...] (SBU) Summary. A government-commissioned study faults Belgian government and society for collaborating with the Nazi Holocaust and the deportation of Belgian Jews. The study analyzes the reasons for Belgian passivity and cooperation before and during the occupation. Public and private respo [...] |
2007-02-16 10:28:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KNAR SOCI PHUM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS598 |
Investment Climate Improving, Still Work To Do [...] Summary. At a working breakfast on the eve of his departure from Belgium, Ambassador Korologos reviewed progress and priorities on Belgium's investment climate with representatives from the Belgian Employers Federation (FEB/VBO), American Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. companies from the sect [...] |
2007-02-23 11:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV EFIN ENRG BE |
| 07BRUSSELS666 |
EU CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY PROGRAMMING IN IRAN [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche Feb. 27 to Francois Massoulie at the European Commission, who just returned from Tehran where he said the mood is "gloomy" regarding any collaboration between Iranian NGOs or individuals and Western governments. Massoulie, the desk officer for Iran at the C [...] |
2007-02-28 16:34:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM EUN KPAO PREL PGOV IR BE EAID |
| 07BRUSSELS694 |
Belgium 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report [...] (U) The 2007 Trafficking in Persons follows in paragraph two. Embassy Point of Contact is Political Counselor Theodore H. Andrews, telephone (32) (2)508-2111/fax 513- 5333. Staff hours spent in preparation of this report: Political Counselor (FO-1): 3 hours Political Assistant (LES-10): 4 [...] |
2007-03-02 14:19:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB BE |
| 07BRUSSELS722 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON ADDITIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-03-06 10:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KNNP PARM IR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS76 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE ON LEBANON DONORS' CONFERENCE [...] (SBU) On January 10, Econoff drew on ref A points to urge strong Belgian participation in the Lebanon Donors' Conference, speaking with the following from the Ministry of Cooperation and Development: Pierre Vaesen, Chief of Staff; Michel Lastschenko, Advisor; and Jonathan Biermann, Advisor. S [...] |
2007-01-10 17:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN LE BE |
| 07BRUSSELS772 |
LEGAL ADVISER BELLINGER'S MEETING WITH BELGIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Legal Adviser John Bellinger met with representatives of Belgium's Ministry of Justice and Foreign Ministry to discuss legal issues arising from the global fight against terrorism and ways to further transatlantic cooperation and partnership against terrorism. Bellinger reiterat [...] |
2007-03-08 11:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER BE |
| 07BRUSSELS785 |
VERHOFSTADT STUMPS FOR RUSSIAN TRADE AND INVESTMENT [...] (C) Summary: Prime Minister Verhofstadt met with Russian President Putin and leading private sector energy figures March 1-2. The trip focussed chiefly on economic issues: building ties in energy and diamond markets, promoting bilateral investment, and facilitating contact between the two coun [...] |
2007-03-08 16:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD EINV ENRG EMIN BE RU |
| 07BRUSSELS790 |
BELGIAN NEWSPAPER GROUP SUES GOOGLE OVER COPYRIGHTS [...] (U) SUMMARY. On February 13, a Belgian court upheld an earlier ruling against Google in a copyright dispute over news article headlines, excerpts, and links on its Google Belgium and Google News Belgium websites. The suit was brought by Copiepresse, a newspaper group representing 17 Belgian [...] |
2007-03-09 12:33:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EINT KIPR BE |
| 07BRUSSELS825 |
IO DAS LAGON ROUND-TABLE AT BELGIAN FOREIGN [...] (C) Summary: In a February 28 roundtable with Belgian Foreign Ministry counterparts working on United Nations issues, IO Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Rights Mark Lagon pointed to precedent-setting steps taken by new UNSYG Ban toward reform and stated that the U.S. was giving Ban the b [...] |
2007-03-13 09:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL UN PHUM PREF UNSC UNHRC BE |
| 07BRUSSELS843 |
Belairbus Copes With Airbus Restructuring [...] (SBU) Summary. The consortium of Belgian companies producing parts for Airbus, known as Belairbus, claims it has taken steps to minimize the impact of Airbus restructuring program. Maintaining the competitiveness of the companies is key, as well as diversification in both products and customer [...] |
2007-03-13 16:27:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR EIND EINV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS844 |
UPDATE ON BELGIAN NUCLEAR ENERGY ISSUES [...] (C) Summary. The Director of Belgium's Nuclear Research Center (SCK) and the Center's security advisor claim the security upgrades at the Center's BR-2 reactor are nearing completion, subject to delays caused by unforeseen technical, budgetary, and management issues. Embassy officers will v [...] |
2007-03-13 16:52:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG BE CG IAEA |
| 07BRUSSELS848 |
BELGIUM WILL NOT LEGALIZE INTERNET GAMBLING, FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The GOB will not legalize internet gambling, at least under the current government. In November 2006 the Belgian Federal Council of Ministers considered draft legislation that would have legalized internet gambling in Belgium (reftel). Current Belgian press reports cite "lega [...] |
2007-03-14 10:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN EINT PGOV KCRM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS860 |
BELGIAN RESPONSE TO OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT DEMARCHE [...] (SBU) Embassy presented US-EU Open Skies Demarche (Refs A and B) to Belgian Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following message was received from the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 13: Thank you for your demarche of March 9 in which you request th [...] |
2007-03-14 14:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON EU KPAO BE |
| 07BRUSSELS88 |
BRUSSELS AIRPORT NOISE: COURT DECISION UPHOLDS [...] (SBU) Summary. A decision by Belgium's Constitutional Court on December 21 upheld the Brussels Region's noise standards (and right to fine violators) against a challenge by the Federal Minister of Transportation. This appears to reverse an Appeals Court ruling of last March, which declared t [...] |
2007-01-11 15:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR EINV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS881 |
Joint Russian-U.S. Demarche to Belgium on the [...] Summary: On March 14, Russian Ambassador Vadim Lukov and Charge d'Affaires Will Imbrie presented to Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for Security and Disarmament Pol De Witte and Director for Non- Proliferation Werner Bauwens the invitation to join the Global Initiative to Combat [...] |
2007-03-15 15:42:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER KNNP MCAP PINR PARM PREL BE RS |
| 07BRUSSELS917 |
EU VIEWS SADC AS BEST VEHICLE TO PRESSURE ZIMBABWE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-03-20 16:52:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM UNHCR ZI EUN BE |
| 07BRUSSELS930 |
Citibank Lending Practices Criticized by [...] (SBU) Summary. Flemish Socialist party (Sp.A) leader Johan Vande Lanotte has accused Citibank of predatory consumer lending practices, targeting persons already heavily in debt and encouraging credit card use by those financially weak. Citibank has defended itself, both denying inappropriate [...] |
2007-03-21 17:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | BEXP EFIN BE |
| 07BRUSSELS941 |
Last Belgian Budget Check Before Elections - Much [...] (U) Summary. The much-heralded special Council of Ministers retreat in Leuven yielded little more than a cursory budget scrubbing and a few symbolic initiatives designed to garner votes in the June 10 elections. The earlier-agreed "green" revenue enhancement measure to tax packaging was down [...] |
2007-03-22 15:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ECON EAIR SENV KCRM BE |
| 07BRUSSELS944 |
FM DE GUCHT IN THE MIDDLE EAST [...] (SBU) Belgian FM De Gucht's trip through the Middle East took him to Lebanon and Israel. In Lebanon March 21, he met with Nabih Berri, President of the Lebanese Parliament. De Gucht reportedly was critical in his meeting with Berri, stressing the need for the Lebanese Parliament to come tog [...] |
2007-03-23 06:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS949 |
BELGIANS SET TO PASS BILL BARRING USE OF DEPLETED [...] (SBU) Summary: In a move designed to placate the vocal pacifist lobby, Belgium's House of Representatives is poised on March 22, 2007 to pass legislation barring Belgium's armed forces from using depleted uranium munitions. A compromise forged by mingling proposals tabled by the Flemish Soci [...] |
2007-03-23 06:02:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM MARR PREL BE |
| 07BRUSSELS982 |
BELGIAN STEWPOT: March 20, 2007 [...] Pension Funds Basing in Belgium 2. Court Supports Residents' Rights 3. Belgium: A Kyoto Progress Report 4. US Company Cited as "Climate Saver" 5. Belgium: Less Than a Good European 6. Belgian Chocolate a Controlled Name? 7. Brussels Casino A Winner 8. The Grinch Who Stole Carnival [...] |
2007-03-23 17:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN EAIR EIND SENV BE |
| 07BRUSSELS995 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE TO SUPPORT UN KOSOVO PROPOSALS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-03-26 14:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UNMIK UN YI EU BE |
| 07DARESSALAAM845 |
TANZANIA: VIEWS ON ERITREA-ETHIOPIA BOUNDARY [...] (C) On June 11, the Deputy Chief of Mission raised the Eritrea-Ethiopia boundary impasse with Ambassador Charles Sanga, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (reftel). Sanga described the issue as a regional one to be addressed within the [...] |
2007-06-12 14:12:00 | Embassy Dar Es Salaam | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AF AU BE ER ET EU GH IT JA NO |
| 07KINSHASA252 |
A FEW EUROPEAN SECURITY MISFIRES [...] (SBU) A couple of misfires from Brussels regarding DRC security issues underscores the considerable political maneuvering going on relative to the DRC's post-Transition future. The first issue appears to reflect internal Belgian lapses, as newspaper articles confirmed by Kinshasa diplomats re [...] |
2007-03-01 12:33:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BE CG |
| 07KINSHASA435 |
BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AN INCOVENIENT GUEST IN [...] (SBU) Summary: Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht had frank criticism for both sides involved in the March 22-23 violence in Kinshasa during his April 10-12 visit to the DRC. He reiterated Belgium's desire for a post-CIAT mechanism for political dialogue and discussed governance issues [...] |
2007-04-16 11:51:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM BE CG |
| 07KINSHASA888 |
SSR CONTACT GROUP: SUBSTANCE REFERRED TO EXPERTS [...] (SBU) Summary. The Contact Group on Security Sector Reform (SSR) formally recognized the GDRC's ownership of efforts to reform the Congolese military at the group's July 12-13 meeting in Kinshasa. Minister of Defense Chikez Diemu outlined a vision for SSR aimed at creating a core group of fi [...] |
2007-07-26 15:54:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL MARR PGOV KPKO CG ZA BE NL FR |
| 07MUSCAT613 |
OMAN UPDATE TO SABIEX REQUEST [...] (SBU) On June 16, Econoff met with Global Channels' Military Equipment Manager Hamed Salim al-Hakmani to discuss ref B request. Hakmani prefaced the conversation by noting that the company established itself in the spare parts business in September 2005. Its only client in the parts divisio [...] |
2007-06-16 13:38:00 | Embassy Muscat | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC KOMC MU BE |
| 07PARIS1364 |
JOINT DEMARCHE DELIVERED: INTERNATIONAL TRACING [...] (U) On April 5, German Embasssy First Secretary Stefan Krawielicki and Poloff delivered a joint demarche to French MFA Director of Archives Jean Mendelson concerning the opening of the International Tracing Service (ITS) archives for the purpose of research and the provision of copies of arch [...] |
2007-04-05 16:11:00 | Embassy Paris | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL BE FR GM GR IS IT LU PHUM PL UK |
| 07PRAGUE367 |
CZECH RESETTLEMENT OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES DOUBTFUL [...] (C) DCM met with Deputy Foreign Minister Pojar on April 6 to request resettlement of Guantanamo detainees in the Czech Republic. Pojar thought it was "doubtful" the Czechs would accept the detainees, but agreed to consider the request. (The Czechs declined a similar request when it was posed by [...] |
2007-04-06 11:48:00 | Embassy Prague | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER PHUM PINR KAWC AU BE BU CA DA EN |
| 07PRISTINA22 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO HENRY KELLEY [...] US Office Pristina welcomes and grants country clearance to Henry Kelley, Senior Advisor for Regional Programs, U.S. Coordinator - Stability Pact of EUR/ACE SEED division. The purpose of the visit is to attend meetings to review Kosovo's assistance needs over the coming year and performance o [...] |
2007-01-11 08:04:00 | Embassy Pristina | UNCLASSIFIED | AU BE FR OTRA OECD XG XH XT ZL SI |
| 07PRISTINA387 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO INR/B GONZALEZ AND POLITICAL [...] US Office Pristina welcomes and grants country clearance to INR/B Officer Ana-Christina Gonzalez and Political Officer Brooke Waldron to visit Pristina May 29-June 2, 2007. The purpose of the visit is to consult with and debrief USOP officials on the final status process, governing and opposi [...] |
2007-05-18 07:31:00 | Embassy Pristina | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PINR OTRA EUN AU BE SR |
| 07ROME318 |
ITALY: ETHIOPIA-ERITREA AT AN IMPASSE, REGIONAL [...] (C) Poloff met with Horn of Africa Office Director Fabrizio Pignatelli and Ethiopia-Eritrea Desk Officer Alberto La Bella February 9 to discuss the role the GOI intends to play in the Ethiopia-Eritrea boundary dispute, as per Ref A. Pignatelli and La Bella reported that Italy sees the situatio [...] |
2007-02-15 10:19:00 | Embassy Rome | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV ER ET AF AL AU BE CH EU JA NO |
| 07STATE57781 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE REQUEST FOR C: ELIOT [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-30 18:49:00 | Secretary of State | UNCLASSIFIED | BE OTRA |
| 07STATE63229 |
DEMARCHE REQUEST: ENCOURAGE SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Department requests Embassies encourage host governments to support UN Security Council action to establish the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. In New York, Belgium, Italy, Peru, and Slovakia have been generally supportive of the P-3's call for Council action, via a Chapter VI [...] |
2007-05-09 21:04:00 | Secretary of State | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC LE SY IT BE PE LO PREL PTER CF GH SF |
| 07THEHAGUE215 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR WHA PRINCIPAL DEPUTY [...] Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for WHA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Charles Shapiro, to travel to The Hague on February 14, 2007 to attend consultations regarding issues of mutual concern in Latin America with host government officials. 2. Embassy has arrang [...] |
2007-02-05 13:59:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT OVIP ASEC OTRA BE PREL EUN GY HU NL |
| 07THEHAGUE88 |
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DEPUTY ASSISTANT [...] Embassy warmly welcomes and grants country clearance for The African Bureau Deputy Assistant Secretary, James Swan, Ambassador Joyce Leader, DOD/OSD Director for Central Africa, Patricia Jacubec, to travel to The Hague from January 21 to 24 to attend a Great Lakes Contact Group Meeting. [...] |
2007-01-19 12:27:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT OVIP ASEC OTRA BE PREL NL |
| 07TOKYO23 |
PM ABE'S EUROPEAN TOUR: STRENGTHENING TIES WITH [...] (SBU) Shinzo Abe's first trip to Europe as Prime Minister is intended to strengthen Japan's ties with its "natural partners," according to MOFA Western Europe Division Director Akira Kono. Abe's five-day tour of London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris starts on January 9 in London where Abe will me [...] |
2007-01-05 06:35:00 | Embassy Tokyo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO UK GM FR BE JA |
| 07TOKYO475 |
PM ABE'S MESSAGE TO EUROPE: WE SHARE YOUR VALUES, [...] (C) Summary. During PM Abe's January 9-13 trip to London, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, Abe underscored his desire to strengthen Japan's ties with Europe, including NATO, based on a new values-focused foreign policy. Abe's interlocutors agreed with him that the DPRK nuclear issue must be addres [...] |
2007-02-01 10:00:00 | Embassy Tokyo | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV UK FR GM BE KN CH JA |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS1120 |
MONITORING AND EVALUATION: THE COMPLEX EMERGENCIES [...] (U) PRM Policy Team Leader and USEU RefAssistant visited the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) at the University of Louvain in Brussels on March 21 to monitor the continued development and global expansion of the Complex Emergencies Database (CE-DAT) to provide key nu [...] |
2007-04-02 15:46:00 | USEU Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM BE |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS1157 |
UPDATE ON EU AND MEMBER STATE LOOKOUT SYSTEMS [...] (S) Summary. A recent survey of the European Union and Member States' terrorist and immigration lookout systems revealed a situation still in a state of flux (see reftels). While the EU develops its updated Schengen Information System II (SIS), and pursues an interim system (SIS One-4-All) th [...] |
2007-04-05 08:34:00 | USEU Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | CVIS PTER BE EUN |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS1407 |
BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT [...] (C) COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR THE MAY 8-9, 2007, VISIT TO BRUSSELS, BELGIUM OF JOHN P. WALTERS, DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY AND DELEGATION TO VISIT WITH EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO OFFICIALS REGARDING US COUNTERNARCOTICS ISSUES. WE ALSO GRANT COUNTRY C [...] |
2007-04-26 15:31:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP SNAR PREL EUN NATO BE |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS1502 |
EU TELLS PRESIDENT ISAIAS HE IS KEY TO STABILITY [...] (C/NF) Summary: European Commissioner Louis Michel met May 4 with Eritrean President Isaias to stress Eritrea's role in promoting regional peace and stability. Michel delivered a harder message during a separate one-on-one meeting in which he expressed EU displeasure with Eritrean violations o [...] |
2007-05-07 05:08:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV EUN EAID BE FR IT NL UK |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS827 |
REFUGEE RETURNS IN EASTERN CONGO: A JOINT US-EU [...] Summary: A joint USG-European Union assessment team composed of US representatives from PRM and OFDA traveled throughout Katanga and South Kivu provinces in January, finding a basic level of peace and stability, but continued sporadic human rights abuses perpetrated primarily by security force [...] |
2007-03-13 09:55:00 | USEU Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PGOV PHUM PREL EAID EU BE |
| 07USEUBRUSSELS90 |
EU POLITICAL UNIT UNWILLING TO PRESS ALGERIA ON [...] (C) Refugee Officer delivered talking points (Ref A) on Jan. 11 to Manfredo Fanti, Deputy Head of Unit for the Mahgreb at the European Commission's Directorate General for External Relations (RELEX), urging the EU to press the Government of Algeria and Polisario to allow UNHCR to conduct a cen [...] |
2007-01-11 17:49:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PHUM AG BE |
| 07USNATO124 |
USNATO WELCOME FOR THOMAS J. BRENNAN FEBRUARY [...] Mission welcomes Thomas Brennan for meetings at NATO. Control officer for the visit is USNATO Political Officer, Kelly Magsamen work tel:(32)2-724-3145. Admin. support is Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. 2. Accommodations have been confirmed for Mr. Brennan arriving February 28-departing Marc [...] |
2007-02-27 09:51:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OTRA NATO BE EU |
| 07USNATO126 |
USNATO WELCOME FOR JOHN B. BELLINGER AND JOSHUA [...] Mission welcomes Mr. John Bellinger and Joshua Dorosin for meetings at NATO and USEU. Control officer for the NATO visit is USNATO Political Officer, Kelly Magsamen work tel:(32)2-724-3145. Admin. support is Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. 2. Accommodations have been confirmed by USEU via e [...] |
2007-02-27 14:08:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OTRA NATO BE EU |
| 07USNATO160 |
WELCOME TO USNATO FOR AMB ERIC EDELMAN AND [...] USNATO welcomes the visit of Ambassador Eric Edelman and delegation to Brussels March 11-12,2007 for meetings at NATO. The overall control officer for this visit is Defense Advisor LTC James Luke, work: (32-2) 724-3170, Cell: (32) 476-990-820 assisted by USNATO Political Officer Mr. John Cockr [...] |
2007-03-09 17:15:00 | Mission USNATO | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC OTRA NATO AF PK BE |
| 07USNATO241 |
WELCOME TO NATO FOR A/S JOHN ROOD AND SENIOR [...] Mission welcomes Mr. John C. Rood, Assistant Secretary, and Mr. Hugh A. Amundson, Senior Advisor, Bureau of International Security and Non proliferation to USNATO on April 17-21, 2007. Control Officer for the visit is USNATO Political Officer Reece Smyth. Office: (32)2-724-3268 Fax: (32)2- [...] |
2007-04-12 10:20:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL OTRA OVIP BE |
| 07USNATO248 |
WELCOME TO NATO FOR STEVEN RUSHEN MAY 6-12 [...] Mission welcomes INR Analyst, Mr. Steven Rushen to NATO for meetings on May 9-11. Control officer for the visit is USNATO Political Officer, Beverli DeWalt, work tel:(32)2-724-3239, fax: (32)2-724-3421. Administrative support is provided by Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. 2. Hotel reservatio [...] |
2007-04-13 15:07:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON OTRA POL EU BE |
| 07USNATO254 |
WELCOME TO AMBASSADOR RODOLPHE M. VALLEE APRIL [...] Mission welcomes Ambassador Vallee to USNATO for meetings and consultations. Control officer for the visit is USNATO Political Officer, Beverli DeWalt, work tel:(32)2-724-3239, fax: (32)2-724-3421. Administrative support is provided by Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. 2. Per email, hotel rese [...] |
2007-04-19 07:55:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AMGT LO BE |
| 07USNATO284 |
RESPONSE TO COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE: FOREIGN [...] U.S. Mission NATO welcomes the visit of Mr. Richard L. Prosen to conduct consultations with USNATO and NATO International Staff in Brussels, May 9-11, 2007. 2. Hotel reservations have been requested at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel for arrival on May 9, 2007. 3. U.S. Mission POC: [...] |
2007-05-03 13:54:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC OSCE OTRA PREL PL BE |
| 07USNATO285 |
WELCOME TO NATO FOR THOMAS A. LYNCH, JR. MAY [...] Mission welcomes Foreign Policy Advisor to the Army Chief of Staff, Thomas Lynch to NATO for consultations May 13-17, 2007. Control officer for the visit is Robert Kemp, work tel:(32)2-724-3487 cell: (32) 0494.54.55.58 and fax: (32)2-724-3421. Admin. support is Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. [...] |
2007-05-03 13:56:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OTRA BE |
| 07USNATO299 |
WELCOME JOHN ERATH AND PAUL BROTZEN TO NATO MAY [...] Mission welcomes Mr. John F. Erath, EUR/SCE Deputy Director, and LTC Paul C. Brotzen, EUR/RPM Policy Officer for meetings. Control officer for the visit is Greg Shaffer, work tel:(32)2-724-3383 and fax: (32)2-724-3421. Admin. support is provided by Lucia Krul (32) 2-724-3233. 2. Hotel r [...] |
2007-05-11 13:11:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | ASCE NATO OTRA AU BE EUN GM SI UK |
| 07USNATO352 |
WELCOME FOR JUNE 12-13, 2007 NATO MANPADS [...] U.S. Mission to NATO welcomes the visit of Lisa Benthien, Herman Rediess, and Frank Diaz for the purpose of attending the Man-Portable Air Defense System (MANPADS) Conference. The control officer for this visit is Political Officer Mr. Tom Underwood, work:(32-2)724-3142, fax:(32-2)724-3421. H [...] |
2007-06-05 11:53:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OTRA ASEC ALBE BE |
| 07USNATO377 |
WELCOME TO NATO FOR MATTHEW E. EWALD JUNE 20-23 [...] Mission welcomes INR/EC Analyst, Mr. Matthew Ewald to NATO for meetings. Control officer for the visit is USNATO Political Officer, Beverli DeWalt, work tel:(32)2-724-3239, fax: (32)2-724-3421. Administrative support is provided by Denise Corbin (32) 2-724-3226. 2. Hotel reservations hav [...] |
2007-06-20 14:19:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA EU BE |
| 07USNATO386 |
WELCOME FOR EDWARD SMITH JUNE 27-30, 2007 [...] Mission welcomes the visit of Edward Smith, Senior Advisor, South Central Asian Affairs Bureau to Brussels June 27-29. The overall control officer for this visit is USNATO Political Officer Mr. John Cockrell, work: 32.(0)2.724.3136, Cell: 32.(0)496.198.008. USEU point of contact is PolMil C [...] |
2007-06-25 07:35:00 | Mission USNATO | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AMGT ASEC AFDB BE |
| 07USNATO576 |
WELCOME TO NATO FOR DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY [...] (C) Mission welcomes Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan, Douglas E. Lute, and traveling party to Brussels for meetings, October 26-27, 2007. Control Officers for the visit are USNATO Political Officer John Cockrell, office: 32-(0)2-724-3136 cell 32-(0)496-198-008, and [...] |
2007-10-24 10:36:00 | Mission USNATO | CONFIDENTIAL | OTRA NATO PREL BE |
| 07USUNNEWYORK449 |
DPKO BRIEFING ON DRC, JUNE 4 [...] Confidential - entire text. 2. (C) Summary: DPKO USG Guehenno briefed the P3 plus 2 concerning the situation in the DRC. He was particularly concerned by the lack of progress towards a stable solution to the political difficulties of the Kivus (especially the role of Rwanda and the need fo [...] |
2007-06-05 22:44:00 | USUN New York | CONFIDENTIAL | BE CG FR PGOV PHUM PREL RW UK UNSC |
| 07ZAGREB1040 |
CODEL TANNER - CROATIA STOPS (FEB 21-24, 2008) [...] Embassy Zagreb welcomes the planned visit of CODEL Tanner to Croatia (Zagreb/Dubrovnik) February 21-24, 2008. 2. Embassy Zagreb control officer for this CODEL will be Political Officer Tom Selinger. (Office: 385-1-661-2260; Fax: 385-1-661-2178; Home: 385-1-467-4396; Cell: 385-91-455-1017; [...] |
2007-11-28 11:51:00 | Embassy Zagreb | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN NATO AORC BE FR HR |
| 07ZAGREB1062 |
FM KITAROVIC ON OSCE MADRID MINISTERIAL [...] (U) Ambassador and PolChief had lunch on December 5 with FM Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and State Secretary Hido Biscevic, subsequent to their return from the OSCE Ministerial in Madrid, and to follow up on FM Kitarovic's bilateral meeting there with U/S Burns. 2. (C) Kitarovic and Biscevic sa [...] |
2007-12-06 08:54:00 | Embassy Zagreb | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OSCE SR SW BE HR |
| 08ABUJA940 |
NIGERIA: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3 CHECK RESPONSE ON [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-22 15:48:00 | Embassy Abuja | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETTC KOMC MASS MARR BE NI |
| 08AMMAN2184 |
JORDANIAN ATTENDANCE AT JUNE MEK CONFERENCE IN [...] (C) Summary: Media in Jordan and Iran have reported the attendance of thirty-three Jordanian MPs and journalists at a Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) conference in a Paris suburb June 26-30. The incident prompted a diplomatic protest from Tehran, and an awkward response from Amman. A post contact w [...] |
2008-07-21 05:41:00 | Embassy Amman | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL FR IZ IR BE JO |
| 08ANKARA357 |
TURKEY: DPM CICEK,S HARSH RHETORIC SETS BACK CT [...] (C) Summary. In separate February 19 meetings with the Belgian Ministers of Justice and the Interior, Turkey's DPM Cemil Cicek used very blunt language to insist that Belgium crack down on terrorism, according to both Turkish MFA and Belgian Embassy sources. Cicek implied Belgium should not [...] |
2008-02-25 14:51:00 | Embassy Ankara | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL BE TU |
| 08BEIRUT238 |
LEBANON: CANADA AND BELGIUM NEED PUSH TO AID LAF, [...] (C) During a February 12 international donor assistance meeting for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Canadian and Belgian DATTs (protect) requested USG help in approaching their host countries' foreign ministries to seek additional support for the LAF. The DATTs said that each of their countr [...] |
2008-02-14 17:19:00 | Embassy Beirut | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS MCAP PGOV PREL PTER BE CA LE |
| 08BRUSSELS100 |
IRAN'S NSA JALILI SNUBBED BY EU OFFICIALS BUT SET [...] (C) During his visit to Brussels the week of January 21 en route to Davos, Iran's National Security Advisor Said Jalili is scheduled to address an open session of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. However, the European Commission and Council Secretariat have refused Jalili' [...] |
2008-01-18 13:57:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MNUC UNSC ETTC KNNP IR EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1001 |
BRUSSELS BILAT BREW: JULY 1, 2008 [...] Summary: This issue of the Brussels Bilat Brew covers a review of cost-of-living adjustment and social benefits in Belgium as well as the desire for increased competition in the food, power distribution and telecom sectors in order to counter Belgium's rising inflation rates. Farmers, taxi [...] |
2008-07-01 14:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN ELAB BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1007 |
BELGIAN PRESS STATEMENT ON UNSCR 1822 [...] Summary: Below is a press statement circulated by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs supporting the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Belgium chairs the committee overseeing UNSCR 1267. End Summary. BEGIN PRESS STATEMENT Foreign Mi [...] |
2008-07-02 14:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER UNSC AG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1022 |
BELGIUM COURT OF APPEALS REDUCES SENTENCES FOR [...] (C) Belgian MFA Anti-Terrorism Coordinator Andre Ceulemans told PolCouns both he and Johan Delmulle, the Federal Prosecutor, were "astonished by" and "not pleased with" the June 26 Court of Appeals ruling reducing the sentences of five defendants found guilty in January 2008 in the Degauque [...] |
2008-07-07 15:51:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER SOCI PREL PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS103 |
BELGIUM REGISTERS FIRST BUDGET DEFICIT IN EIGHT [...] (U) Belgium registered its first budget deficit since 1999 for the year 2007. The deficit came in at a level of 0.3% of GDP, or 260 million euros (USD 390 million). GDP for year was 80 billion euros (USD 120 billion), up 2.7 %. Economic growth is expected to slow to 2.1 % in 2008 and the bu [...] |
2008-01-18 15:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1033 |
BELGIANS SUPPORT CONTINUED NEGOTIATIONS ON ARAB [...] (C) According to Christophe De Bassompierre in the MFA UNSC office, the Belgians agree, and have already sent instructions to their UN delegation, to urge continued negotiations on points included in reftel. However, the Belgians think settlement activities should be halted. Thus, if there [...] |
2008-07-09 09:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | IS PREL UNSC BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1044 |
INFORMATION FOR UN AND EU SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE - [...] No summary [...] |
2008-07-10 11:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ETTC PREL EFIN KTFN PTER UNSC ZI BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1046 |
BELGIANS MAY RELUCTANTLY GIVE FUNDS FOR NTM-I, BUT [...] (C) Poloff discussed reftel points with Belgian MFA NATO desk officer Frederic Meurice, who expressed surprise at NATO's continuing insistence on training Iraqi security forces in Iraq. He noted the Belgian reservations about supporting the Iraq war and pointed out that Belgium has always sp [...] |
2008-07-11 12:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR NATO IZ BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1065 |
BELGIUM: SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1816 [...] (U) Belgian MFA officials told econoff Belgium supports efforts to protect shipping from piracy off the Somali coast. The officials consider UNSCR 1816 a good resolution and hope useful action results in the next six months and/or the time period will be extended. They noted that France and S [...] |
2008-07-15 09:39:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EWWT KCRM KCRS KJUS PHSA PREL SO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1071 |
LETERME TENDERS HIS RESIGNATION - KING ALBERT HAS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: With no institutional solution in the offing, Prime Minister Yves Leterme (CD&V - Christian Democrat and Flemish Party) tendered his resignation to King Albert II around 2300 hours July 14. King Albert is now "taking the resignation under consideration," according to the offi [...] |
2008-07-15 16:22:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1074 |
KING ALBERT BRINGS THE POLITICIANS TOGETHER AND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: After Prime Minister Yves Leterme's surprise resignation late July 14 (reftel), Belgium is still in a state of limbo as King Albert II continues to play his intermediary role in the complex Belgian political process. King Albert is discussing with all the political factions w [...] |
2008-07-16 12:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1094 |
BELGIUM'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HOPES TO KEEP THE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Didier Reynders told the Ambassador that Prime Minister Yves Leterme gave him only a half hour notice that he would be submitting his resignation to the King. Leaders of the five coalition parties are in discussions with the two green [...] |
2008-07-17 15:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EFIN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1099 |
KING ALBERT REJECTS PM LETERME'S RESIGNATION; [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: King Albert rejected Prime Minister Leterme's resignation and, after discussions with many political and labor leaders, called for "credible" dialogue on institutional reform for more devolution of power to the regions. Leterme's resignation turned into a clever political st [...] |
2008-07-18 12:49:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS11 |
BRUSSELS BILAT BREW: JANUARY 4, 2008 [...] (U) Charles Michel, newly named Minister of Development Cooperation, laid out his priorities for revitalizing and reestablishing Belgian development assistance after a six-month hiatus in federal leadership. While much development aid comes from the regions of Belgium, the federal government [...] |
2008-01-03 16:51:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID ECON EFIN EINV EMIN BE CH |
| 08BRUSSELS1107 |
THREE "WISE MEN" MUST SET REFORM TALKS FORMULA BY [...] (SBU) King Albert II appointed three mediators to set by July 31 the terms and conditions for a resumption of institutional reform talks. They will try to set a format and timetable for the talks on the regional level, as well as find some way to guarantee to those concerned the talks will [...] |
2008-07-22 11:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1129 |
BELGIANS ALREADY ON ALERT FOR POSSIBLE DUAL-USE [...] (C) Poloff presented reftel points to Filip de Clercq in the MFA's Non-Proliferation and Export Controls Office. De Clercq said although he did not have any information about the company mentioned reftel, Belgium already considers firms or possible "front companies" based in Malaysia as high [...] |
2008-07-24 12:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC IR MY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1130 |
BELGIANS AGREE IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP PRESSURE ON [...] (C) POLCOUNS discussed talking points reftel with MFA Head of the Latin America Office, Amb. Jan Van Dessel. Van Dessel fully agreed it is important to keep pressure on the FARC. He noted there should be more U.S.- EU cooperation on the whole range of problems, from narcotics interventions [...] |
2008-07-24 14:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | COL VE HR EUN PTER AF SNAR PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1147 |
BELGIUM IN FAVOR OF TURKEY'S ACCESSION TO THE EU [...] (SBU) Poloff gave reftel points to MFA Turkey Desk Officer Marie Noelle Dubois July 25. Dubois said the Belgian position remains in favor of Turkey's accession to the EU, dependent upon how Turkey progresses with reforms, and how it handles the current court case mentioned in reftel. The Be [...] |
2008-07-28 14:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PGOV TU EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1148 |
BELGIUM FAVORS SOLANA AS SINGLE CONTACT POINT WITH [...] (SBU) MFA Middle East Office Director Francoise Gustin told POLOFF that GOB agrees with the points presented in reftel. The Belgians believe Solana should be the only one to have direct contact with the SARG. Belgium is in favor of keeping open the dialog with Syria, but thinks the EU must [...] |
2008-07-28 15:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL SY EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS122 |
BELGIAN INTERIOR MINISTER PUSHING FOR EXPANDED [...] (C) Summary: During a one-on-one lunch held January 17, 2008, Belgian Interior Minister Dewael told the Ambassador he would press for passage of new legislation that would expand the authority of the country's intelligence services to use "special investigative techniques" like wiretaps. Law [...] |
2008-01-24 14:32:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PINS PTER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS124 |
BELGIAN PM SAYS POSITIVE DECISION LIKELY ON F-16 [...] (C) Summary: Belgian PM Verhofstadt told the Ambassador on January 23, 2008 that he foresaw no difficulty in sending four Belgian F-16's to Afghanistan, and to expanding the activities of Belgian forces there to include sponsorship of an OMLT and further participation in the PRT program. Belg [...] |
2008-01-24 15:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR BE AF |
| 08BRUSSELS1249 |
WITHIN DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS, BELGIUM [...] (SBU) POL/E Chief delivered reftel demarche to Michel Peetermans, Chief of Service, Belgian MFA, in the company of his French and British counterparts. Peetermans said that MFA non-proliferation expert Werner Bauwens would attend the August 21-22 Extraordinary Plenary in Vienna. Noting that [...] |
2008-08-13 09:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM PREL ETTC AORC BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1260 |
TFGG01: GEORGIA CRISIS: BELGIUM SEES NEXT STEPS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium, as with other EU members, continues to be concerned about the agreement reached between Russia and Georgia. Belgium agrees on the urgency of establishing a mechanism to support international observers in Georgia, with reliance on the OSCE observers already on the grou [...] |
2008-08-14 11:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC PREL PGOV RU GO PBTS BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1278 |
TFGG01: BELGIUM OFFERS MIL OBSERVERS FOR OSCE'S [...] (C) The military adviser to Minister of Defense Pieter De Crem informed us that the GoB is consulting with OSCE about the latter's efforts to expand its group of military observers in Georgia from the current eight to a possible one hundred and has offered to contribute ten Belgian military of [...] |
2008-08-19 11:20:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL OSCE MOPS PREF GG RU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1287 |
BELGIUM, IN THE UNSC CHAIR THIS MONTH, WANTS UNSYG [...] (C) MFA Security Council Coordinator Rudi Brieven, accompanied by Attache for Middle East and North Africa Laura Poletto, received Poloff to discuss the referenced demarche on August 19. Brieven said that the GoB follows events in North Africa, especially Morocco and Algeria, very closely, be [...] |
2008-08-20 08:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC PREL PGOV PBTS MO WI BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1308 |
MEDIA MISINTERPRET BELGIUM'S AIR CHIEF ON NEW [...] (C) SUMMARY: A (possibly innocent) misinterpretation of Belgian Air Force Chief's comments about the F16 forthcoming deployment to Kandahar by a big Belgian paper has been corrected firmly by DefMin De Crem, but not without cost, the cost being future GoB maneuverability on maybe someday having [...] |
2008-08-26 05:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS AF NATO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1337 |
TFGG01 - DEMARCHE REQUEST ON BELGIAN MFA (CURRENT [...] (C) SEE URGENT DEVELOPMENT IN PARA 4 (BELOW). The MFA of Belgium, which this month chairs the UNSC, is in the process of refining its instructions to Amb. Jan Grauls in New York for today's emergency UNSC meeting that is being convened at the request of the Government of Georgia. Before Polof [...] |
2008-08-28 13:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | UNSC PREL GG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1340 |
NATO MEDITERRANEAN DIALOGUE SOFA: BELGIUM AGREES [...] (C) On August 29, POL/E Counselor delivered the referenced points and proposed MED-D SOFA Exchange of Letters (EoL) to Pol De Witte, Director of Security Policy and Patrick Duray, Legal Counsel, both of the Belgian MFA. 2. (C) Both De Witt and Duray agreed that Belgium does not support [...] |
2008-08-29 09:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1343 |
SERBIA'S KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION AT UNGA: BELGIUM [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium as directed its UN Mission in New York either to vote against the Serbian UNGA resolution to refer the issue of Kosovo's independence to the ICJ or to abstain. Belgium will make its choice based on supporting EU and western unity on the issue. This is despite the Belgi [...] |
2008-08-29 14:16:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UN UNGA KV BE PINR |
| 08BRUSSELS1354 |
DE GUCHT SEPT 3 TRIP TO MOSCOW; EXCHANGE WITH [...] (C) De Gucht September 3 Call in Moscow on Lavrov - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - -: During a September 2 call on MFA Deputy Cabinet Chiefs Fons Borginon (multilateral affairs) and Thomas Lambert (European bilateral affairs, who attended the September 1 EU Summit), they expl [...] |
2008-09-02 17:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EUN PREL PGOV GG RS YI AF PK BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1366 |
BELGIAN MFA FINDS IDEA OF BIG EXPANSION OF AFGHAN [...] Summary: Without committing the GOB, Renier Nijskens of the Belgian MFA received reftel demarche, regarding expanding the Afghan National Army (ANA), favorably. He warned that such an increase in manpower must be implemented intelligently so that money spent is not wasted. He said that curr [...] |
2008-09-04 06:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1369 |
DE CREM: NO MANDATE FOR BELGIAN SOLDIERS ON THE [...] (U) The Belgian public's tolerance for putting any of its soldiers in harm's way was tested by the September 3 death of a Belgian "blue helmet" soldier in Lebanon, who was engaged in a de-mining operation. Responding to such sensitivities, Belgian Defense Minister De Crem was obliged to take i [...] |
2008-09-04 13:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MARR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS139 |
Jalili's Press Appearances in Belgium Countered by former [...] (U) Summary: Iranian NSA Said Jalili's stop in Brussels included several press sessions and an appearance at the MFA-affiliated Egmont Institute of International Relations. The Iranian unsurprisingly used both occasions to peddle the standard "not a delinquent/just misunderstood" line. The l [...] |
2008-01-25 16:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM BE IR |
| 08BRUSSELS1390 |
FM DE GUCHT ENCOUNTERS RESOLUTE FM LAVROV IN MOSCOW [...] (C) Summary: Russian FM Lavrov told Belgian FM De Gucht September 3 that OSCE monitors would not be acceptable in South Ossetia, unless South Ossetian de facto president Kokoity approves them, nor would Russian troops be withdrawn from South Ossetia and Abkhazia because those troops are there [...] |
2008-09-05 18:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL BE GG RU |
| 08BRUSSELS14 |
BELGIAN GOVERNMENT HAS SAME GOALS AS USG ON [...] No summary [...] |
2008-01-04 13:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PINS PREL PTER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1402 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PREVENTING IRAN'S ACQUISITION [...] (SBU) On September 9 Poloff delivered reftel points regarding prevention of Iran's acquisition of uranium to Werner Bauens, Director of the Non-Proliferation and Export Controls Office of the Minstry of Foreign Affairs. Bauens noted that Belgium is not a producer of uranium, but admitted that [...] |
2008-09-09 15:25:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY ENRG EMIN ETTC IR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1407 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: MALAYSIAN FIRM ACTING AS FRONT [...] (S) On September 9 Poloff delivered ref A points regarding the pending sale of A9910 data acquisition systems manufactured by the Belgian firm Thales Alenia Space to the Malaysian firm Evertop, known to be operating as a front for an Iranian end-user. Poloff met with Walter Bauwens, Director [...] |
2008-09-10 13:32:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC BE IR MY |
| 08BRUSSELS1412 |
UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE 2008 HUMAN RIGHTS PRIORITIES -- [...] (C) SUMMARY: Speaking both as the Human Rights person at the Belgian MFA and as a participant in the EU Working Group on Human Rights meeting of September 4-5, Francine Chainye told Poloff Judith Heimann: --There were no surprises in our demarche talking points (reftel) except for Belarus (see [...] |
2008-09-11 15:26:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UN EU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1419 |
FORTHCOMING EU FONMIN MEETING (GAERC) SEPTEMBER [...] (SBU) On September 12, MFA Director for EU External Affairs Filip David told Poloff Heimann the following: 2. (C) Zimbabwe David said that the COREPER (i.e., EU Permreps)-drafted conclusions of the forthcoming GAERC included extending the EU sanctions beyond what they are now -- though Davi [...] |
2008-09-12 14:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EU PHUM PREL ZI SO TU YI RS BE PGOV ZL |
| 08BRUSSELS1420 |
GOB NOT EAGER TO SEE ISAF ROLE EXPANDED TO [...] No summary [...] |
2008-09-12 14:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO MOPS MARR AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1444 |
BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KAREL DE GUCHT TO ATTEND [...] No summary [...] |
2008-09-17 15:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | NATO PGOV PREL UNGA EU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1457 |
FOREIGN MINISTER DE GUCHT'S SENIOR CABINET OFFICER [...] (C) Summary: During a September 19 call on Belgian MFA Deputy Head of Cabinet for Bilateral Affairs Thomas Lambert, Poloffs received the Belgian take on reftel demarche, PM Leterme's current trade and investment trip to Sochi, Russia, and the EU's evolving energy policy. The GoB was well aware [...] |
2008-09-19 16:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG RU BL VE BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1459 |
BELGIAN BANK WILL LOOK INTO REPORTS OF ITS DOING [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: Belgian officials were receptive to Treasury U/S Levey,s explanation of Iranian deceptive banking practices and guarded over any suggested implications of Belgium,s KBC Bank in illicit Iranian financial transactions. KBC Bank showed surprise and dismay at the suggestion that [...] |
2008-09-22 14:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | KTFN EFIN KNNP ETTC BE IR |
| 08BRUSSELS1464 |
BELGIUM: "NO BUSINESS AS USUAL" DOESN'T EXCLUDE [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Pol De Witte, the Director for Security Policy and NATO Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. De Witte said that Belgium takes a more "moderate line" than the U.S. on NATO-Russia meetings and sees value in dialogue. Poloff argued that Russia's re [...] |
2008-09-22 15:44:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL GG RS BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1473 |
PM LETERME LOSES FLEMISH MAJORITY BUT GOVERNMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: In protest at the agreement to defer discussion of institutional reforms in Belgium, the New Flemish Alliance Party (N-VA) withdrew from its alliance with Prime Minister Yves Leterme's Christian Democratic Party (CD&V). The leaves Leterme without a Flemish majority in his own [...] |
2008-09-23 13:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | POL PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1474 |
TWO ANTI-KABILA EXTRA-PARLIAMENTARY POLITICAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Since mid-June, an Embassy Poloff with a previous posting in Kinshasa has been sought out separately by the heads of two different Congolese political groups (Union Socialiste Congolaise and the Movement des Patriots Congolais). These groups did not participate in the electoral [...] |
2008-09-23 15:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1496 |
BELGIAN MOD ON PLANS FOR THE MILITARY IN 2009 [...] (C) Summary: Belgian troops are operating in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Chad and the Congo. The Ministry of Defense is developing a strategy for 2009 that foresees increases in the Belgian participation in Afghanistan and in the EU Battle Group, but a pullback in Lebanon. Although Defense [...] |
2008-09-25 11:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR BE AF LE CG CD KV |
| 08BRUSSELS1501 |
INGUSH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SEEK ATTENTION FOR [...] (SBU) Summary: On September 24, Poloff met with two Ingush human rights activists, Ibragim Muharbekovich Lianov and Alik Osdoev. They described human rights violations in Ingushetia since 1992. They said that Russia intends to abolish the Republic of Ingushetia and merge it with Chechnya in O [...] |
2008-09-26 14:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM RU BE GG |
| 08BRUSSELS1547 |
BELGIUM: RESPONSE TO IRAN DEMARCHES [...] (U) Pol-Econoff and intern met with Belgian MFA UNSC Team, Iran desk officer, and Director of the Nonproliferation Office Werner Bauwens. Bauwens began with a quick briefing on Belgian sanction policy related to Iran. 2. (U) The GOB welcomed UNSCR 1835 (reftel A) as a consensus approach to [...] |
2008-10-03 15:19:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | ECON ETRD PARM KNNP EUN EWWT PREL MNUC IR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1558 |
FLEMISH POLITICAL PARTIES: CD&V GOVERNMENT SAVED [...] (C) Summary: Flemish Christian Democrat (CD&V) International Affairs Secretary Peter Gijsels provided Poloff a broad read out of his party's domestic challenges steering the national coalition government and its view of the trans-Atlantic relationship. Just two weeks ago, the government of CD [...] |
2008-10-08 10:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MOPS AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS157 |
BELGIANS SUPPORT IDEA OF STATEMENT ON SYRIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2008-01-31 16:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL KMPI SY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS158 |
BELGIAN INTERIOR MINISTER EXPECTED TO HEAD [...] No summary [...] |
2008-01-31 16:43:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM PHUM PREF SMIG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1591 |
BELGIUM: OCTOBER 22 GEORGIA DONORS' CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-15 08:40:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EFIN PREL KMCA KCRS GG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1599 |
AFTER THE FINANCIAL EARTHQUAKE: A NEW BANKING [...] (C) While a large part of the francophone bourgeoisie in Brussels is still reeling from the fire sale of the country's largest bank, Fortis, to BNP Paribas last week, Belgian officials and Flemish politicians are fighting vigorously to strengthen Dexia and KBC, the only two remaining large Be [...] |
2008-10-17 11:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1618 |
BELGIUM: EXTRADITION AND MLAT RATIFICATION PROCESS [...] (C) PolEconOff spoke with MFA Counselor for Justice and Legal Issues Peter Claes (Directorate General for European Cooperation and Coordination) on September 30, October 9, and October 14 to discuss the status of the Extradition and MLAT ratification process. Claes indicated the European Comm [...] |
2008-10-20 11:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | CJAN EUN KCRM KJUST KTIA PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1624 |
BELGIUM: "CREDIBLE AFGHAN ELECTIONS ARE MORE [...] (C) Summary: The GOB is concerned that the USG is not doing enough to curb participation in Afghan elections and government by corrupt individuals. It would like to see agreement on ways to improve the credibility of the election process and quality of candidates among the NATO Allies before [...] |
2008-10-21 11:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM MARR AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1625 |
FLEMISH GOVERNMENT SEEKS A FEDERAL BELGIUM [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-21 12:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1626 |
FLEMISH GOVERNMENT SEEKS A FEDERAL BELGIUM: [...] (S) The Chief of Staff to Head of the Flemish government Koen Geens provided a quick sketch of Flemish goals in the intra-regional negotiations on government reform to Poloffs October 16. The long term Flemish goal is a federal state, with a "lean and mean," central government equipped with on [...] |
2008-10-21 12:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1634 |
A TALE OF TWO CRISES: SENIOR BELGIAN FINANCE [...] (C) SUMMARY: At one point in the middle of the on-going crisis in Belgium's banking sector, according to a top Finance Ministry official, Belgium narrowly avoided a bank run. The financial crisis is already being used by the francophone socialists against the francophone liberals who contr [...] |
2008-10-22 09:10:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1649 |
BELGIUM LIKELY TO VOTE YES ON DE-ALERTING, ABSTAIN [...] (C) Summary: Belgium intends to vote yes on the UN First Committee resolution on de-alerting after abstaining in 2007. It will not co-sponsor the resolution, but it does want to increase pressure on nuclear weapons states to disarm. It would like to see more attention paid to targeting of nuc [...] |
2008-10-24 16:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MNUC UNGA PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1660 |
BELGIUM:ENGAGING EU ON BOSNIA [...] (C) MFA Director for Southeast Europe Luc Liebaut provided to Poloff October 27, an informative and lengthy readout of European thinking on Bosnia. Liebaut said the EU and Belgium were largely in agreement over the main points in reftel demarche, with a slightly nuanced view of the 5-Plus-2 a [...] |
2008-10-28 11:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV BK EU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1675 |
BELGIUM AND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: THE LAST BANK [...] (C) SUMMARY: Over the past six weeks, Belgium has had its top two banks either dismembered or transformed nearly beyond recognition. The final Belgian bank, too, was just given a government rescue package. The saga of how this happened points to failings in bank management, mis-steps and [...] |
2008-10-30 12:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1680 |
BELGIAN GOVERNMENT INCHES TOWARD ACTION ON CRISIS [...] Summary: (C) The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo) is currently the number one real-time foreign policy concern for the Belgian Government and one of the top stories in the Belgian press (French and Flemish). The GoB issued statements October 30 calling for an immediate [...] |
2008-10-30 17:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PGOV PREL BE RW CG EU |
| 08BRUSSELS1693 |
CRISIS IN THE CONGO: BELGIAN FM DEGUCHT'S MEETING [...] (C) Summary: On November 4 the Belgian MFA briefed European Union, Canadian, Japanese, South African, and U.S. Embassies on FM Karl De Gucht's November 1 meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. After providing the meeting points, the MFA Africa team offered Belgian views on the situation [...] |
2008-11-04 16:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS170 |
BRUSSELS BILAT BREW: FEBRUARY 1 [...] (U) Persistent rumors that Fortis faces additional write-offs on its subprime exposure has caused its share price to fall by as much as 10 percent during one day of trading (January 22), alarming the Belgian financial watchdog CBFA to the extent that it forced Fortis to issue a statement alle [...] |
2008-02-01 16:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN SENV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1702 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH BELGIAN FINANCE MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium's Finance Minister Didier Reynders expects the EU's number one goal in the November 15 Finance Summit to be to build collaborations between governments and with the IMF over the coming weeks. The rescue of Fortis by Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg is an example [...] |
2008-11-06 08:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS171 |
BELGIANS SUPPORT EARLY VOTE ON PROPOSED IRAN [...] (C) Per reftel instructions to seek Belgian support for an early vote on the next UNSC Iran sanctions resolution, the Ambassador met on February 1 with Belgian MFA Secretary General Grauls. In response to the Ambassador's suggestion that the MFA issue appropriate instructions to the Belgian M [...] |
2008-02-01 16:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PARM BE IR |
| 08BRUSSELS1732 |
BELGIUM NON-COMMITTAL ON CRITERIA-BASED CONTROL OF [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-13 16:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETTC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY IAEA BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1733 |
BELGIUM: EXPULSION OF DEA FROM BOLIVIA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-13 16:59:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PREL SNAR BL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1734 |
PDAS RIES DISCUSSES AFGHANISTAN, CONGO, RUSSIA [...] (C) Summary: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marcie Ries met on November 5 with Vincent Mertens de Vilmars, Director for International Relations at the Ministy of Defense of Belgium. Mertens is a close advisor of Minister of Defense Pieter De Crem and a former Ambassador to Russia from B [...] |
2008-11-13 17:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR BE AF CG GG RU UP |
| 08BRUSSELS1746 |
CONGRESSMAN WEXLER'S MEETING WITH BELGIAN MFA [...] (C) Summary: On November 12, Congressman Robert Wexler, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Europe, met with Dirk Achtens, Director General for Bilateral Affairs of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vincente Van Assche, Secretary to the Director General. B [...] |
2008-11-17 16:16:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL BE AF IS RU GG UP |
| 08BRUSSELS1747 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON EU REGULATIONS ON [...] Economic officer delivered the subject demarche to Mr Geert Cockx of the Internal Markets Division at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 7. Cockx was aware of the third maritime security package in general but not familiar with recognized organizations or with the USG concer [...] |
2008-11-18 10:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EWWT EUN IMO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1748 |
CLIMATE CHANGE: OUTREACH TO BELGIUM ON POZNAN [...] In separate meetings on November 14 with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Economic officer shared reftel points regarding the December Poznan UN climate change conference, focusing on the firm U.S. commitment to success in Cope [...] |
2008-11-18 14:55:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG KGHG SENV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1749 |
BELGIUM AND THE CONGO PART TROIS: MFA CONTACTS [...] (C) Summary: PolEconCouns and Poloff joined MFA Congo Contacts for a wide ranging discussion on Belgium's latest efforts to end the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our contacts said Foreign Minister De Gucht would fly to New York November 25 and 26 to attempt to bolster the MO [...] |
2008-11-18 18:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MOPS PHUM PREF KPKO CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1766 |
BELGIUM: OPPOSING UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH [...] (C) Poloff received feedback November 21 on reftel demarche from Belgian MFA UN Security Council interlocutor covering Middle East issues, Cristophe De Bassompierre. De Bassompierre cautioned the U.S. not to expect any significant change in Belgian or E.U. voting patterns on Israel-Palestine [...] |
2008-11-21 17:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNGA IS PA LE SY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1772 |
BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DE GUCHT ENDURES TOUGH [...] (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht (Open VLD) is living through one of the rockiest periods of his political life, but he is generally expected to survive and see it through to the June 2009 parliamentary elections. He is accused of passing inside information to his wife, who benefi [...] |
2008-11-21 17:49:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE CG |
| 08BRUSSELS1787 |
FLEMISH INTERIOR MINISTER'S REFUSAL TO CONFIRM [...] Summary: The Flemish Interior Minister's second refusal to confirm in office three francophone mayors who had violated Belgian language laws has put the just-relaunched institutional talks on structure of the Belgian state into question. Dismayed francophone politicians have asked the Flemi [...] |
2008-11-25 18:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1788 |
CONVICTED TERRORIST TO APPEAL EXTRADITION FROM [...] Belgian Federal Prosecutors Office Spokesperson Lieve Pellens announced November 25 that the United States had filed a request to extradite Nizar Trabelsi for membership in Al Qeada. A court in Nivelles ruled in favor of the U.S. request on November 19, and the extradition will now be heard b [...] |
2008-11-25 18:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | CJAN CVIS KCRM PTER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1789 |
BELGIUM: NO FOREIGN POLICY OBJECTION TO THE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-26 10:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KSCA TBIO TPHY US BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1795 |
A TALE OF TWO PARTIES: THE FIGHT FOR THE FLEMISH [...] Summary: Though the June 2009 elections are months away, they lurk in backs of the minds of most Flemish politicians. The center-right Flemish Liberal Party (Open VLD) is worried about recent controversies besetting its ministers, while the upstart center-right party Lijst Dedecker (LDD) antic [...] |
2008-11-26 17:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1806 |
BELGIUM: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON AFGHAN NATIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-01 14:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | AF MARR MOPS NATO PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1820 |
BELGIUM PUSHES FOR AN EU BRIDGING FORCE FOR THE [...] (C) MFA Congo Desk told Poloff December 2 that FM De Gucht would attempt to gauge Allied interest in an EU bridging force for the Congo at today's NATO Ministerial. Belgium is looking to see if other partners are ready. Belgium wants to be part of a force but cannot take the lead. Should a f [...] |
2008-12-02 16:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1821 |
BELGIUM WILLING TO JOIN CONSENSUS ON AMENDED NSG [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-02 16:22:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETTC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1822 |
BELGIUM:LEVERAGING FATF STATEMENT ON IRAN [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-02 16:36:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | PARM PREL EFIN KNNP IR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1823 |
BELGIUM:TRABELSI EXTRADITION UPDATE [...] (C) The Belgian MOJ advised Post November 27 that if everything goes smoothly, the GOB may have a final decision on the extradition of Nizar Trabelsi's by the end of the summer. 2. (C) Summary of Case for internal use only: Lieve Pellens, Federal Prosecuting Office spokesperson, confirmed [...] |
2008-12-02 16:45:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER CJAN CVIS KCRM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1826 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON HELSINKI OSCE [...] (U) Emboff delivered reftel points on the upcoming Helsinki OSCE Ministerial on December 1 to Mr. Thierry Vuylsteke, the Ministry of Foreign Affair's Director of its OSCE Department. 2. (C) Vuylsteke, who has followed OSCE issues since 2001 and will be part of Belgium's approximately 15 [...] |
2008-12-03 13:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | OSCE PREL PHUM KDEM GG RU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1828 |
BELGIUM SIGNS CONVENTION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS [...] (C) On December 2, Poloff delivered reftel information on the United States position on the Convention on Cluster Munitions to Werner Bauwens, Director of the MFA Office of Non-Proliferation and Export Controls. Bauwens said that Belgium will sign the CCM on December 3 in Oslo. According to [...] |
2008-12-04 14:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETTC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1864 |
BELGIUM:COUNTRY BY COUNTRY REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION [...] (C) Belgium maintains diplomatic relations with Cuba through its Embassy in Havana and the Cuban Embassy in Brussels. FM De Gucht has not considered Cuba a priority during his ministry. No high level visits have taken place since Louis Michel was Foreign Minister from 1999-2003. Belgium has [...] |
2008-12-10 16:24:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ETTC PREL CU BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1868 |
BELGIUM:DEMARCHE ON UNITED NATIONS HARMONIZATION [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-11 15:52:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT AORC APER PREL UNGA BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1870 |
BELGIUM ARRESTS FOURTEEN SUSPECTED TERRORISTS [...] (U) Belgian police arrested December 11 fourteen terrorist suspects, according to press reporting. A total of 242 police officers conducted a series of sixteen raids in Brussels and one in the Francophone city of Liege. According to the Belgian prosecutors office, the suspects were linked to [...] |
2008-12-11 16:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV AF PA BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1882 |
BELGIUM UNDERSTANDS PROBLEM OF TECHNICAL [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-12 16:11:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP MNUC PARM IAEA SY TRGY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1885 |
BELGIAN MFA MORE REALISTIC THAN OPTIMISTIC ON [...] (C) According to MFA Congo Desk Officer Koen Adam, the Belgian government took note of the Rwanda - DRC statements from the December 4-5 Goma meeting. The GOB recognized several positive statements, and appreciated the goals to which the two countries committed. Belgium is realistic, however [...] |
2008-12-12 18:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV CG RW BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1886 |
AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL WITH BELGIAN FOREIGN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium's Foreign Minister is still seeking participation by other European countries in providing a bridging military force for Eastern Congo. He views Congo as a failed state with the potential to be come another Somalia and believes failed states will be the biggest challen [...] |
2008-12-14 07:21:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EAIR BE XF |
| 08BRUSSELS1887 |
BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER REMAINS OPTIMISTIC ON EU [...] (C) Summary: The Belgian MFA was optimistic the morning of December 12 that the EU would deploy an ESDP mission in Congo eventually, despite continued opposition from key member states. The MOD was less optimistic after French President Sarkozy's statement late afternoon that Europe cannot be [...] |
2008-12-15 09:34:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1889 |
BELGIUM: LOOKING FOR USG FLEXIBILITY ON IEA [...] Econoff shared reftel demarche points on the International Energy Agency (IEA) 2009-10 budget on December 11 with Ambassador Philippe Nieuwenhuys, head of the Energy Department at Belgium's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (MFA). 2. Nieuwenhuys knew t [...] |
2008-12-15 10:24:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG IEA BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1891 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE REQUEST ON UNSC SOMALIA PIRACY [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-15 14:44:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KCRM PREL PHUM PHSA EWWT SO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1922 |
PM LETERME UNDER FIRE FOR ALLEGED INTERFERENCE [...] (U) Summary: Prime Minister Yves Leterme is facing allegations that he or his cabinet tried to pressure a Belgian appeals court to rule in favor of the government in a major case brought by angry Fortis Bank shareholders to stymie the bank's sale to Bank PariBas. In response to media critic [...] |
2008-12-18 15:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EFIN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1929 |
REQUEST FOR SECURITY SUPPORT FOR AFGHANISTAN [...] On December 17, Poloff delivered reftel demarche and non-paper seeking security support for 2009 Afghan elections to Vincent Mertens de Vilmars, Head of the Diplomatic Department at the Ministry of Defense and to Alain Hanssen, Deputy Director of the South Asia Department of the Ministry of F [...] |
2008-12-18 16:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1930 |
BELGIUM NOTIFIED OF FRIED-ANTONOV MEETING ON CFE [...] (C) On December 15, Poloff delivered reftel notification of the planned Fried-Antonov meeting in Geneva on December 17 to Francois De Kerchove, deputy director of the Department of Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. De Kerchove said that the news of the Fried-Antonov meeting [...] |
2008-12-18 17:48:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | KCFE PREF PARM NATO RS BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1933 |
LETERME HANGS ON THROUGH "FORTISGATE" [...] (C) After December 18, a day of drama in the House of Representatives and in Yves Leterme's government, Leterme remains Prime Minister for the time being. Leterme's letter to the Minister of Justice detailing contacts with the husband of one of the judges in the Fortis case and with the "subs [...] |
2008-12-19 15:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EFIN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1943 |
LETERME'S LAST CRISIS: KING STALLS LETERME'S [...] (C) Summary: PM Yves Leterme offered his government's resignation to King Albert II December 19 after members of his Cabinet were implicated in attempting to influence judges. The King did not accept the resignation, and met with Flemish Christian Democrat (CD&V) Chairperson Marianne Thyssen [...] |
2008-12-22 16:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MOPS AF CG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1950 |
BELGIUM: INTERIM AGREEMENT BY CIVAIR AUTHORITY [...] Belgium's Civil Air Authority (CAA) informed the Brussels-based Transportation Security Administration (TSA) representative on December 22 that Brussel's Zaventem Airport will begin TSA-required additional security measures starting December 23, for a period of 90 days, while TSA and the Euro [...] |
2008-12-23 16:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1951 |
BELGIUM: PROVISIONAL RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR [...] Belgium has no immediate plans to expand its nuclear power program. Under existing law passed in the late 1990's, Belgium will be required to shutter its two existing nuclear power plants (that are comprised of seven reactors: three at Tihange in Wallonia, and four at Doel, in Flanders) by 20 [...] |
2008-12-24 09:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG TRGY BEXP BTIO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1953 |
WITH GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION, THE SEARCH FOR A [...] (C) Summary: The King accepted the Leterme government's resignation December 22. The government now goes into caretaker status until a new coalition is negotiated or new elections are held. The King has asked former PM Wilfried Martens to act as a go-between and look for options in forming a [...] |
2008-12-24 10:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1954 |
DEMARCHE: U.S. DRAFTED SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-24 11:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET | KPKO PREL SO BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1957 |
BELGIUM:2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM [...] Embassy point of contact is Aaron Jensen. Email: JensenAW@state.gov 2. Begin text of report. Belgium Belgium continued to strengthen its response to the threat of terrorism, with the new institutions it developed over the past several years working to coordinate the Belgian governmen [...] |
2008-12-24 11:09:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER ASEC BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1959 |
KING ASKS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE VAN ROMPUY TO FORM [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-29 10:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1961 |
BELGIUM: IT'S A GOVERNMENT: VAN ROMPUY NEXT TO [...] (U) Herman Van Rompuy will be the next Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, heading a coalition of the same five political parties who comprised the previous administration of outgoing Prime Minister Yves Leterme (CD&V). Leterme had resigned on December 19 following allegations of polit [...] |
2008-12-30 15:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PINR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS1965 |
BELGIUM: COMPOSITION OF NEW GOVERNMENT HEADED BY [...] (U) Herman Van Rompuy became Belgium's Prime Minister on December 30, and will lead a government mostly composed of the same Ministers who served outgoing PM Yves Leterme. The few ministerial changes are Stefaan de Clercq at Justice (replacing Jo Vandeurzen), Guido de Padt at Interior, repl [...] |
2008-12-31 11:34:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PINR BE |
| 08BRUSSELS206 |
FUTURE PRIME MINISTER LETERME SEES HIS PARTY AS [...] (SBU) Summary: Yves Leterme, the man who "won" the June federal elections in Belgium, and who now serves as Vice Prime Minister, is not sure arrangements will be complete on constitutional reform before March 23, the day by he is expected to become Prime Minister. Given the electoral strengt [...] |
2008-02-07 14:03:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON BE |
| 08BRUSSELS232 |
BELGIAN FM PLANNING MARCH 2 TRIP TO BAGHDAD [...] (U) Action request -- see paragraph three. 2. (C) Belgian FM Karel De Gucht is planning to a one day visit to Baghdad on March 2, according to senior members of his staff. The MFA expects to announce this information itself shortly before the Minister's trip, thereby short circuiting at le [...] |
2008-02-11 10:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE IZ |
| 08BRUSSELS238 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIANS ON KOSOVO [...] (C) Embassy spoke February 11 with Thomas Antoine, the Belgian MFA's Director for the Balkans, regarding immediate recognition of Kosovo after it declares independence and participation in an International Steering Group (ISG) that will be established to support Kosovo's democratic developmen [...] |
2008-02-12 13:55:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL YI BE |
| 08BRUSSELS240 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIANS ON KOSOVO AND THE OSCE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-12 14:29:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EU OSCE PGOV PREL UNAUS UNMIK YI BE |
| 08BRUSSELS255 |
BELGIUM PLEDGES EARLY RECOGNITION OF KOSOVO, WILL [...] (C) The Belgian government will be at the "front" of the line of countries recognizing Kosovo's independence, according to senior officials in both the Prime Minister's office and the Foreign Minister's private office. The "core cabinet" of senior party leaders had approved this position alre [...] |
2008-02-14 14:23:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS264 |
IRANIAN LEADER'S BAGHDAD VISIT PLANS PROMPTS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-15 12:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL BE IZ |
| 08BRUSSELS292 |
BELGIUM FREEZES PKK-ASSOCIATED ROJ-TV'S ASSETS [...] (U) Ref e-mail relayed a Turkish press report that "PKK mouthpiece" Roj TV has been levied a heavy tax fine by Belgian authorities. The press report asserted that Roj TV officials in Belgium "claimed that Turkey's pressure on the U.S. and certain EU countries led to the Belgian decision to l [...] |
2008-02-22 15:17:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ETTC PTER BE TU |
| 08BRUSSELS293 |
BELGIANS OPEN TO UNSCR ON FDLR, BUT HAVE QUESTIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-22 16:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ETTC ASEC BE |
| 08BRUSSELS297 |
BELGIUM: KING SIGNS ROYAL DECREE RECOGNIZING [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-26 12:51:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS357 |
BELGIAN SENATE APPROVES LISBON TREATY [...] (U) On March 6th the Belgian Senate voted to approve the Treaty of Lisbon, 48 to 9 in favor with 1 abstention. Although many senators expressed reservations about certain aspects of the treaty, only members of the right-wing, Flemish nationalist party, Vlaams Belang (VB), voted against th [...] |
2008-03-07 14:44:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS395 |
FOLLOW-UP ON INVITATION TO ISTANBUL PROSECUTOR'S [...] (SBU) Embassy LEGATT spoke with Belgian Federal Prosecutor Johan Delmulle March 12 about Belgian attendance at the roundtable for European prosecutors to be co-hosted by the Turkish Ministry of Justice and the Resident Legal Advisor in Ankara and originally scheduled for March (ref B). Delmu [...] |
2008-03-17 11:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS425 |
DEMARCHE ON REFERENDUM IN BURMA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-20 12:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM BM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS426 |
DEMARCHE ON TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE OECD [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-20 13:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ECON CM TW OECD BE |
| 08BRUSSELS430 |
LETERME GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT: THE ECONOMICS [...] The Leterme government agreement concluded this eek contains many good intentions (e.g. a 2009 budget surplus), but very few specific policies on how to achieve these goals. On several issues, the coalition partners agree to disagree and kick the issue down the road by ordering yet another stu [...] |
2008-03-20 16:05:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFI PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS444 |
YVES LETERME FORMS NEW BELGIAN GOVERNMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Yves Leterme assumed office as Belgian Prime Minister March 22 amidst speculation about how long his government will last and how contentious will be the next wave of institutional reform talks. Leterme's Flemish nationalist election partner (NV.A) has given him until mid-July t [...] |
2008-03-25 16:57:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS449 |
BELGIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO PSI FIFTH ANNIVERSARY [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-26 15:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP KSTC PARM PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS467 |
BELGIUM ARTICULATES ITS POSITIONS GOING INTO [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a tour d'horizon on issues to be discussed at the Bucharest summit, Belgium's Political Director for Multilateral Affairs told PolCouns on March 27 that: (1) CFE must survive; Belgium (GOB) welcomed Acting U/S Fried's continued openness in dealing with Russia on its concerns [...] |
2008-03-28 16:31:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL NATO MARR KFE RS GG MD BE |
| 08BRUSSELS494 |
BELGIUM: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR THE VISIT [...] COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR THE APRIL 9-11, 2008 VISIT TO BRUSSELS, BELGIUM OF JOHN P. WALTERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY (ONDCP) AND DELEGATION, INCLUDING BRIAN BLAKE, ONDCP DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF; PATRICK M WARD, ONDCP ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SUPPLY REDUC [...] |
2008-04-03 12:59:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BE EUN OVIP PREL SNAR |
| 08BRUSSELS501 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIAN GOVERNMENT ON BELARUS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-04-04 12:58:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | BO PHUM PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS532 |
BELGIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ASSIST IRAQI REFUGEES -- [...] (C) PolCouns delivered reftel points April 8 to Jan Meuleman, Attach, Directorate-General for Development Cooperation, Special Programs in the Belgian Ministry for Cooperation and Development. Meuleman thinks Belgium intends to again contribute money to UNHCR this year, but said budget disc [...] |
2008-04-09 05:24:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREF PHUM PREL EAID IZ SY BE |
| 08BRUSSELS54 |
AFGHANISTAN: EU OFFICIALS SUPPORT ASHDOWN AND [...] (C) Summary: Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman and State Department Counselor Eliot Cohen met with EU Council Secretariat officials January 8 in Brussels to discuss Afghanistan. EU Director General for External Political and Military Affairs Robert Cooper told Edelman and Coh [...] |
2008-01-11 16:19:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | AF AID BE EU EUN IO PGOV PREL PTER SNAR NATO |
| 08BRUSSELS575 |
BELGIANS RECEIVE UNMEE TERMINATION TEXT [...] No summary [...] |
2008-04-17 05:07:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNSC KPKO ET ER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS582 |
BELGIUM CLARIFIES ITS ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the context of opposition calls reported in the media for Belgium to press NATO partners for a clear "exit strategy" from Afghanistan, DCM and PolCouns called on MFA Political Director for Bilateral Affairs Dirk Achten on April 9 to clarify Belgium's position. Achten said [...] |
2008-04-18 05:01:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS NATO EAID AF BE |
| 08BRUSSELS596 |
EU: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DOL A/S FOULKE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-04-21 14:47:00 | USEU Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB PREL PGOV EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS598 |
EU: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DOL A/S FOULKE [...] Your upcoming visit to Brussels will include calls on European Commission officials in the Labor and Social Affairs Directorate and participation in the High-level Regulatory Cooperation Forum (HLRCF). This cable provides a summary update of EU labor and social policy and a description of th [...] |
2008-04-21 15:50:00 | USEU Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB PREL PGOV EUN BE |
| 08BRUSSELS630 |
BELGIAN MFA ON BELGIAN AID ALONG RWANDAN BORDER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Over the course of a meeting on April 18, Paul Jansen, the Belgian MFA desk officer for Rwanda and Burundi, explained Belgium,s role in helping reassimilate Rwandan returnees and the status of Rwandan immigrants in Belgium. END SUMMARY Belgium,s Role in Reassimilation [...] |
2008-04-24 14:54:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | BE PGOV PREL RWANDA CONGO |
| 08BRUSSELS644 |
BELGIUM'S DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMS RUNNING HARD TO BE [...] SUMMARY: Belgium's Director General of Customs, Noel Colpin, is running hard to be elected as the new Secretary General of the World Custom Organization. He has the full support of his government. He has worked very closely with the Embassy for many years and was Belgium's chief negotiator [...] |
2008-04-28 14:28:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ETRD BE |
| 08BRUSSELS647 |
BELGIAN MFA ON ZIMBABWE: AGREE ON SERIOUSNESS OF [...] (C) Acting P/E Counselor delivered the points in reftel to Guy Trouveroy, Director, African Affairs, at the Belgian Foreign Ministry. Trouveroy replied that Belgium "agrees on the seriousness of the situation" in Zimbabwe and of the need to do more. 2. (C) He said the demarche was timely [...] |
2008-04-28 15:02:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNSC ZI BE AU |
| 08BRUSSELS661 |
BRIEFING BELGIUM ON FOREIGN FIGHTERS [...] (S/NF) Post continues to follow up with the Belgians regarding the Belgium-specific information on the flow of foreign terrorists into Iraq presented to the GOB on April 9, per ref instructions. (Post relayed reporting information to the Department April 10). DCM and PolCouns demarched MFA [...] |
2008-04-30 11:40:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS682 |
DEMARCHE ON BURMA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-06 16:06:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | ETTC PGOV PHUM PREL BM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS684 |
BELGIAN LEADERS TRY TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT CRISIS: [...] (C) SUMMARY: Belgium's political parties are again locked in intense negotiations over a plan to redistrict the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (B-H-V) province. The change, proposed and supported by the Flemish parties, would divide the multi-lingual region surrounding the capital into a large Flemi [...] |
2008-05-07 10:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS690 |
EMBASSY BRUSSELS OUTREACH TO DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS [...] (U) Over the past year, the Embassy has promoted the President's Freedom Agenda in numerous ways. Post regularly works with the Belgian government to support democracy-promotion initiatives, for example, the transnational network to advance the rights of women from Belgium, Morocco, Turkey a [...] |
2008-05-08 13:18:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS698 |
IN BELGIAN POLITICS, CARPE DIEM MEANS SEIZE THE [...] (SBU) Summary: After much concerted effort, the governing parties managed to avoid a political crisis over the redistricting of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (ref). The extended maneuvers over B-H-V have tarnished the image of PM Leterme and caused leaders of the major parties to lose face, but t [...] |
2008-05-09 13:50:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS709 |
DEMARCHE TO BELGIUM:FRENCH UNSC RESOLUTION ON BURMA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-13 15:04:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM UNSC BM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS719 |
BELGIAN MINISTERS VISIT DRC [...] No summary [...] |
2008-05-14 14:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL BE DRC CH |
| 08BRUSSELS75 |
SOUGHIR TERRORISM TRIAL ENDS IN STIFF SENTENCES [...] (U) A Belgian court convicted Bilal Soughir and five other men January 10 under Belgium's 2003 antiterrorism law. The six were on trial for abetting the recruitment and training of terrorists for suicide attacks in Iraq, including Muriel Degauque, a Belgian national who in 2005 blew herself up [...] |
2008-01-16 10:30:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PTER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS795 |
GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM: [...] ECOUNS delivered reftel points to Filip De Clerq, nonproliferation desk officer at the Belgian MFA on May 21. De Clerq said that the EU would be sending a delegation to the annual meeting in Madrid in June. However, De Clerq was not sure that Belgium was ready to contribute to management of [...] |
2008-05-28 12:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PTER KGIC PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS813 |
IAEA: THE CONVENTION ON SUPPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION [...] ECOUNS passed points in reftel to MFA Non-Proliferation Office on May 23. On May 30, the desk officer in the office relayed a response thanking the U.S. for the invitation to the meeting on the global initiative information portal. However, as the MFA has no specific input to make on the man [...] |
2008-05-30 08:38:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP TRGY ENRG KSTC IAEA PARM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS814 |
BELGIUM TO FORGIVE 80% OF IRAQI DEBT [...] At the Stockholm Conference on Iraq, Belgian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Olivier Chastel stated that Belgium is willing to forgive 80% of Iraq's bilateral debt by the end of 2008. Belgium would forgive 260 million euros ($403 million) out of a total debt of 323 million euros ($500 mi [...] |
2008-05-30 09:14:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN EAID IZ BE |
| 08BRUSSELS819 |
BELGIUM DIPLOMATS IN DISARRAY OVER CONGO [...] (C) SUMMARY: Diplomatic relations between Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at a low point as Congolese officials reacted negatively to recent public comments Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht made regarding poor governance, lack of transparency, corruption and [...] |
2008-05-30 15:24:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM DRC CH BE |
| 08BRUSSELS828 |
BELGIUM: INFORMATION ON FORCED LABOR AND CHILD [...] Article 22b of the Belgian Constitution states that "each child has the right to the respect of its moral, physical, mental and sexual integrity." In 1992, the Belgian Parliament adopted legislation imposing a total ban on child labor. The legislation was put into effect through the Royal D [...] |
2008-06-02 12:47:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI BE |
| 08BRUSSELS829 |
IAEA/IRAN - BELGIUM WILL JOIN THE EU IN A STRONG [...] No summary [...] |
2008-06-02 15:00:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP MNUC PARM IR IAEA BE |
| 08BRUSSELS832 |
BELGIUM SEEKING A SOLUTION TO THE UNMEE DILEMMA [...] (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points June 2 to Wilm Geurts and Rudi Brieven of the Belgian MFA UN Directorate, Security Council, and also shared the points with the MFA Eritrea and Ethiopia Desk Officer Isabelle Maduda-Lukebamoko. Although they have no specific instructions yet, they said B [...] |
2008-06-02 15:56:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL UNSC KPKO PBTS ET ER BE |
| 08BRUSSELS847 |
BELGIUM: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON IOM DG CANDIDATE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-06-04 09:12:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC PREF PREL SMIG BE |
| 08BRUSSELS858 |
BELGIUM: UPDATES FOR LEADING GOVERNMENT AND [...] No summary [...] |
2008-06-06 11:35:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS871 |
BELGIANS DISAPPOINTED AT USG DECISION TO NO LONGER [...] (SBU) PolOff met June 9 with Francine Chainaye, MFA Director for Human Rights Affairs, to discuss points in reftel. Chainaye said the Belgians know the problem and understand our discouragement with the Council, but she said "this is bad news" and asked how we expect the Council to improve [...] |
2008-06-09 15:15:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM BE |
| 08BRUSSELS897 |
BELGIUM SUPPORTS AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel points June 12 to Hendrik Van de Velde, MFA Middle East Peace Process office. Van de Velde said Belgium is very supportive of the efforts for the Berlin Conference goals and they intend to pledge 100,000 to 200,000 Euros at the conference. He said Belgium also s [...] |
2008-06-13 07:41:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KWBG PBTS PHUM IS BE |
| 08BRUSSELS910 |
BELGIUM EXTENDS ITS UNIFIL MISSION UNTIL THE END [...] No summary [...] |
2008-06-16 13:49:00 | Embassy Brussels | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR LE BE |
| 08BRUSSELS943 |
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF FOREIGN POLICY COOPERATION [...] (C) Summary: The EU's Common and Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) increasingly drives Europe's foreign policy agenda. Practically, the monthly GAERC meetings set the timetable for foreign policy decision-making; theologically, "EU unity" is a compelling political message that no member state [...] |
2008-06-20 08:56:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL EUN CFSP PGOV BE |
| 08BRUSSELS945 |
GUANTANAMO DETAINEES -- SUGGESTIONS FOR A SPECIAL [...] (C/NOFORN) Belgian Senator and OSCE Parliamentary Representative on Guantanamo Anne-Marie Lizin engaged in an open and frank discussion June 12 with Ambassador Fox on her trip to Guantanamo Detention Facility and what to do about the remaining detainees there. She provided an advance copy o [...] |
2008-06-20 11:08:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KDRG PHUM PTER OSCE PREL MOPS PINS BE |
| 08BRUSSELS962 |
DIRECTOR WALTERS DISCUSSES DRUG FLOWS AND [...] (C) During his recent visit to Brussels, the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), John Walters, discussed a wide range of drug issues with European Union (EU) counterparts and media. He briefed EU officials and journalists on U.S. domestic counter-drug e [...] |
2008-06-25 12:58:00 | USEU Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP KCRM PREL SNAR PTER EUM BE CO MX |
| 08BRUSSELS974 |
BELGIAN JUSTICE MINISTER SUPPORTS INCREASED [...] (S/NOFORN) Ambassador Fox and PolCouns met June 24 with Belgian Justice Minister Jo Vandeurzen. Reactions from Vandeurzen, his diplomatic advisor Marc Van den Reeck, and legal advisor Erik Verberb were very positive as the Ambassador emphasized the importance of sharing information on count [...] |
2008-06-26 15:37:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC PTER PGOV SOCI PINR PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS978 |
PM POSITIVE ON WORKING WITH THE U.S. ON TERRORISM [...] (S/NOFORN) At a special meeting arranged by Ambassador Fox, Prime Minister Yves Leterme, was briefed by C/GRPO and A/LAT on the developing security situation related to Al Qaeda senior leadership's apparent interest in Belgium's chemical/industrial infrastructure. The PM listened intently a [...] |
2008-06-27 08:39:00 | Embassy Brussels | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC PTER PGOV PINR PREL BE |
| 08BRUSSELS991 |
ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR UN 1267 SANCTIONS AND [...] (C) Charge delivered the requested points to Wilm Geurts of the MFA's UN Directorate on the Security Council. Geurts said that Belgium is very supportive and fully committed. The challenge is to get 1735 fully implemented by member states. 2. (C) Belgium is satisfied with UNSCR 1735 al [...] |
2008-06-30 13:53:00 | Embassy Brussels | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER UNSC AG BE |
| 08DOHA827 |
NUCLEAR POWER: MODELS AND ANTI-MODELS ABOUND AT [...] (U) On November 10-11, Ambassador Wolcott participated in the MENA Nuclear Energy Forum in Doha, Qatar, during which she delivered a special address. Additional speakers included representatives of regional governments (the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, and Yemen); multilateral organizations (Gulf [...] |
2008-11-25 07:27:00 | Embassy Doha | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG KNNP PARM PREL QA EG MU KU AE FR BE CA |
| 08GUATEMALA90 |
VFM IBARRA DISCUSSES FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES [...] (C) According to new Vice Foreign Minister Miguel Ibarra, the Colom Government will make a priority of maintaining productive, positive relations with the USG, and advancing toward resolution of the Belize border dispute. The GOG is considering joining Petrocaribe, but the MFA is giving close [...] |
2008-01-29 21:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV BE VE CU GT |
| 08KINSHASA390 |
GOMA NOTES 04/24/08 - GOMA PROCESS: STANDING TOGETHER TO [...] (U) Summary: The Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security raced for three days April 22-24 to complete the first block of tasks on the Amani Program schedule, scrapping language that linked disengagement to progress under the Nairobi criteria, and confirming the cease-fire in a bilingu [...] |
2008-05-02 13:21:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA410 |
ANOTHER STEP ALONG A ROCKY ROAD: BELGIAN MINISTERS VISIT [...] (SBU/NF) Summary: Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht's meetings with President Kabila April 20-21 in Kinshasa aggravated pre-existing bilateral tensions on both sides. Belgian Ministers of Defense and International Cooperation accompanied De Gucht during his April 20-26 visit to the DRC [...] |
2008-05-11 13:47:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM EMIN CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA418 |
21st Meeting of JMG Task Force, May 9, 2008 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Task Force members heard MONUC DDRRR director Philip Lancaster speak during most of the day's meeting, as the single expert on the agenda. Lancaster bracketed his presentation with cautions that logistical constraints and unrealistic time lines will limit the impact of the pre [...] |
2008-05-12 11:20:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA425 |
International facilitation dinner with Malu Malu [...] (U) Summary: International Facilitation met with Abbe Appolinaire Malu Malu April 30 in Bukavu to discuss the CNDP, the Amani process and armed groups operating in the Kivus. Malu Malu relayed CNDP concerns about the ICC arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda and the location of brassage centers. [...] |
2008-05-13 14:26:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA428 |
GOMA NOTES 05/02/08 - TEAM BUILDING: 20TH MEETING OF THE [...] (SBU) Summary: On May 2, Task Force members traveled by road to the Headquarters of the 6th Integrated Brigade (FARDC) in Kiwanja, Rutshuru Territory, which has responsibility for keeping FDLR troops away from the Uganda border. The brigade's operations netted a high-profile commander last mon [...] |
2008-05-15 06:07:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA438 |
GOMA NOTES - PARTNER'S PLAN FOR AMANI PROGRAM MOBILITY AND [...] (SBU) Summary: Concerned that a crippled transportation infrastructure will slow down implementation of the Amani Program and humanitarian assistance, Father (also French: "Abbe") Apollinaire Malu Malu convened partners from MONUC and International Facilitation on April 20 to discuss improvin [...] |
2008-05-19 05:58:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA439 |
MASHAKO MISSION UNTIES PARECO KNOT [...] (SBU) Summary: After three days of pressure from officials and facilitators of the Amani Program, PARECO-FAP leaders agreed on a list of members from the Mugabo and LaFontaine factions who would jointly represent their movement in the Goma Process. Amani Humanitarian Coordinator Professor Ma [...] |
2008-05-19 06:00:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA448 |
NKUNDA PUSHES FOR ACTION ON AMANI, NAIROBI [...] (SBU) Summary: At a meeting in Kitchanga (Masisi Territory) on May 17, Laurent Nkunda told U.S. Goma Rep and Facilitation members that he wants to be fully involved in the success of the Amani Program, that the Kinshasa government is moving too slowly on amnesty legislation and financial supp [...] |
2008-05-19 18:02:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA460 |
NOTES ON 22ND MEETING OF JMG TASK FORCE, FIELD TRIP, 16 MAY [...] (SBU) Summary: The 22nd Task Force (TF) meeting was in the form of a field trip to Walikale on 16 May 2008, at the invitation of the Congolese Delegation. Members heard three briefings: The Territorial Administrator talked about "sensitization" (awareness raising) efforts since March 15; the [...] |
2008-05-25 14:14:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA465 |
LOCAL REACTION TO ARREST OF JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA IS [...] (SBU) The arrest in Brussels late May 24 of opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba appears to have taken the Congolese government and people by surprise. Little had appeared in the local media prior to the arrest regarding the ICC's investigation into alleged criminal actions in 2002 by Bemba's [...] |
2008-05-27 16:05:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC ECON PREL BE CT CG |
| 08KINSHASA519 |
BELGIAN-DRC RELATIONS AT A NADIR [...] (C) Summary: Diplomatic relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Belgium remain tense following controversial statements by Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht on human rights, good governance, and corruption in the DRC (ref C). The Congolese government has recalled to [...] |
2008-06-12 13:55:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM BE CG |
| 08KINSHASA586 |
CNDP UNHAPPY WITH GDRC AMANI PROVINCIAL STRUCTURES DECREE [...] (SBU) Summary: U.S. Embassy Goma office and CNDP leadership met July 11 to discuss CNDP concerns about the GDRC decree establishing Amani program provincial commissions and CNDP roles in the sub-commissions. The CNDP is concerned about the absence of humanitarian structures and the level of C [...] |
2008-07-14 16:01:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA603 |
JULY 18 MEETING OF JMG TASK FORCE DEALS WITH ANTI-FDLR [...] (SBU) Summary: The 31st meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group Task Force on July 18 was, overall, a cordial gathering. U.S. members of the International Facilitation in attendance were DCM Sam Brock and Program Officer Geoffrey Parker. In the absence of Jean-Michel Dumont, the EU chairmanshi [...] |
2008-07-22 12:45:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08KINSHASA689 |
GOMA ROUND-UP AUGUST 19 [...] (SBU) EU representative Veronique Aulagnon told Goma PolOff August 19 that EU envoy Roeland van de Geer planned to attend the September 1 meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group in Kinshasa. He planned to travel first to Kigali, to meet Sezibera August 27, and then to Goma on August 28. Van de [...] |
2008-08-21 15:33:00 | Embassy Kinshasa | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG BE |
| 08NEWDELHI525 |
DELHI DIARY, FEB 11-15 [...] (U) Below is a compilation of political highlights from Embassy New Delhi for February 11-15, 2008 that did not feature in our other reporting, including: -- Notice Issued to Sonia Gandhi over Belgian Honor -- Renegade Politician Finally Breaks Ties with Congress -- Supreme Court Seeks Stay [...] |
2008-02-19 12:37:00 | Embassy New Delhi | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV CASC IN BE |
| 08PARIS1172 |
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY OF BELGIUM [...] (SBU) Summary: U.S. agencies, including those involved in international trade agreements, need to keep a careful eye on the efforts of the government of Belgium's French-speaking community to enlist UNESCO -- in an unhelpful way -- in the fight against fly-by-night diploma mills in Africa and [...] |
2008-06-23 06:21:00 | Embassy Paris | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | UNESCO SCUL ETRD ECA BE XA |
| 08PARIS1418 |
UNESCO BRIEFING ON THE NOVEMBER 2008 INTERNATIONAL [...] Summary: On June 27, 2008, UNESCO briefed Member States on the organization of the November 2008 International Conference on Education (ICE) sponsored by UNESCO's Bureau of International Education (IBE) to be held in Geneva. The topic of this conference is "Inclusive Education: The Way of the [...] |
2008-07-24 14:20:00 | Embassy Paris | UNCLASSIFIED | UNESCO SCUL BE |
| 08PARISFR2220 |
UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL CAMPAIGN: BELGIAN AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Belgian Ambassador to UNESCO told Ambassador Oliver December 5 that Belgium does not support the candidacy of Egypt's Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosni, for UNESCO's next Director General (DG). The Belgian Ambassador also speculated on the possibility that Ingrid Bettancour [...] |
2008-12-08 16:58:00 | Mission UNESCO | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNESCO BE IT CO |
| 08QUITO433 |
CORREA ADMINISTRATION COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON [...] (C) Summary: In the lead-up to the May 15 release of the Interpol report on the seized FARC computers, the Correa government is trying to strengthen its position through accusations against Colombia and the United States, a European trip aimed at garnering support for Ecuador's stance, and an angry [...] |
2008-05-15 12:38:00 | Embassy Quito | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MOPS EC CO SP FR BE NU |
| 08STATE104207 |
UPDATE ON IRAN SPECIFIC EXPORT CONTROL OUTREACH [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3. ---------- BACKGROUND ---------- 2. (SBU) BACKGROUND: On May 15, Washington provided all Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Participating Governments (PGs) with detailed information regarding critical commodities Iran will require to [...] |
2008-09-30 15:30:00 | Secretary of State | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP PREL PARM IR MNUC UK GM FR BE IT SZ CH JP |
| 08STATE104496 |
DESIGNATION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN [...] (C) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4. ------------------ SUMMARY/BACKGROUND ------------------ 2. (SBU) The United States designated the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and 18 subsidiaries under E.O. 13382 ("Blocking the Property of Weapons of Mass De [...] |
2008-09-30 20:49:00 | Secretary of State | SECRET | AG AS AJ BE CH CY EG RE GM IN IR IT JA LY MY MT |
| 08STATE27868 |
SPAIN ASKS FOR U.S. SUPPORT ON INVITATION TO AHLC [...] (C) Summary. The Spanish Charge d,Affaires to the United States presented a demarche to NEA Deputy Assistant Secretary Danin on March 14, asking that the U.S. support Spanish participation in the upcoming Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) in London and that we weigh in with the EU, Norway and th [...] |
2008-03-17 21:34:00 | Secretary of State | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KWBG ECON EAID IS SP BE UK NO |
| 08STATE36490 |
BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK [...] This is an Action Request. See paragraphs 2 - 5. 2. The Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance (PM/DTCC) requests Post's assistance in conducting a pre-license check on license 050095506 for the export of manual ammunition link machine to Burkina Faso. Post is requested to [...] |
2008-04-08 18:07:00 | Secretary of State | UNCLASSIFIED | BE ETTC KOMC UV |
| 08STATE44522 |
BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK [...] This is an Action Request. See paragraphs 2-4. 2. The Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance (PM/DTCC) requests post's assistance in conducting a pre-license check on application 050099148 and a post shipment verification on license 050056149, both involve the export of C [...] |
2008-04-28 14:20:00 | Secretary of State | UNCLASSIFIED | ETTC KOMC BE NI |
| 08STATE58446 |
THE WAY FORWARD ON UNMEE [...] This is an action request. Department requests action addressees in London, Paris, Moscow, and Brussels, to approach host governments, as UN Security Council (UNSC) Members, to discuss our proposed way forward on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) and a potential follow-on UN pres [...] |
2008-05-30 23:20:00 | Secretary of State | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL UNSC KPKO PBTS ET ER BE FR |