DUTCH ON HALTING ASSISTANCE TO HAMAS

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 001508 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/13 TAGS: PTER PREL KPAL NL SUBJECT: DUTCH ON HALTING ASSISTANCE TO HAMAS REF: SECSTATE 157973 Classified By: CDA Daniel Russel Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) (S) Ambassador conveyed Secretary's oral message on Hamas in a June 12 meeting with Dutch MFA Political Director Hugo Siblesz. Siblesz said that the Netherlands has argued in Brussels for including Hamas on the EU's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and for freezing its assets. Siblesz further stated the Netherlands has made the point that it is time to do this given the negative role Hamas is playing in the peace process. SOBEL