DUTCH ON IRAN: SHIRAZ DEFENDENTS, AG MINISTER VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001873 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2010 TAGS: PHUM PREL EAGR ETRD IR NL SUBJECT: DUTCH ON IRAN: SHIRAZ DEFENDENTS, AG MINISTER VISIT REF: SECSTATE 114655 Classified by A/Polcouns Eric Lundberg, Reasons 1.5 b/d 1.(C) A/Polcouns orally conveyed ref A points to Dutch MFA PDAS for the Middle East Hans Driesser and Iran Deskoff Maria Klomp on June 21. Driesser reviewed recent Dutch forays on the Shiraz defendants, including Foreign Minister Van Aartsen's contentious meeting with Iranian FM Kharazzi in Tehran on May 29 (ref B). The EU, Driesser noted, had consistently called for a transparent process and for full access to defense lawyers for the defendants and had stressed to Tehran that death sentences would be totally unacceptable. A Dutch Embassy rep was present in Shiraz for all of the press conferences and would return for the next press conference two days prior to the sentencing. While Driesser pointed out that the EU had not gone as far as demanding the "release" of the defendants, he agreed that the EU's conditions had not been met. He concurred that the U.S., EU and other interested parties should engage in immediate consultations following the verdict to fashion a coordinated response. Agriculture Minister to Visit -------------- 2.(U) In other business, Driesser told A/Polcouns that the announced visit of Dutch Agriculture Minister Brinkhorst - held off in order to give Van Aartsen primacy of place - would go forward as announced July 1-4. The combined government/business delegation will focus on promotion of sales of technology for the dairy, poultry, floral and fisheries industries, as well as other areas. We understand that Trade Minister Ybema is also mulling over a separate visit, though no date has been set. SCHNEIDER