Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03THEHAGUE1739
2003-07-08 11:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

DUTCH PM BALKENDE OUTLINES AGENDA

Tags:  ECON ETRD EU MARR NL PREL PTER 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001739 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013
TAGS: ECON ETRD EU MARR NL PREL PTER
SUBJECT: DUTCH PM BALKENDE OUTLINES AGENDA


Classified By: AMB. CLIFFORD SOBEL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001739

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013
TAGS: ECON ETRD EU MARR NL PREL PTER
SUBJECT: DUTCH PM BALKENDE OUTLINES AGENDA


Classified By: AMB. CLIFFORD SOBEL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D)


1. (C) On June 30, Amb Sobel and Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkende
discussed their objectives. The Prime Minister listed three
issues on which he personally wanted to lead his new
government: values, innovation, and the 2004 EU presidency.
In the Fall, the PM will begin traveling to capitals to
prepare the Dutch presidency. Preliminarily, the Dutch have
cited several political issues they expect to dominate their
presidency, including relations with new members, ESDP
(especially since they will follow the Irish),the
transatlantic relationship, and a decision on whether to open
negotiations with Turkey. "Values" is an important issue to
this Christian-Democrat Prime Minister and one that resonated
in his election. Amb Sobel pointed out the similarity of
Prime Minister Balkenende's vision with that of President
Bush's and offered to arrange briefings on the President's
faith based initiatives. Similarly, Amb Sobel noted the
symmetry between the prime minister's innovation council and
ideas current in the USG and society.


2. (C) Ambassador Sobel told the Prime Minister of the
embassy's ambitious agenda, ranging from innovation and the
transatlantic business dialogue to security,
counter-terrorism and HIV. He discussed a trade mission to
Silicon Valley aimed at developing trade and investment
between our two countries, a dialogue among CEOs on trade in
financial services, additional steps we can take to develop
the Container Security project at the port of Rotterdam, his
vision for joint projects to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, the
necessity of the Netherlands making progress on
counter-narcotics, steps we can take to expand exchange
programs between the U.S. and The Netherlands, and the
importance of the Dutch keeping their commitments to NATO,
including their ability to deploy and sustain forces even in
the face of severe budget cuts.
SOBEL