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
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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