MARITIME COUNTERNARCOTICS AGREEMENT

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001824 SIPDIS DEPT FOR L/OES, INL/LP AND WHA/CAR USCG WASHDC FOR LT BRAD KIESERMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KTIA SNAR PHSA EWWT EAIR JM NL SUBJECT: MARITIME COUNTERNARCOTICS AGREEMENT REF: KINGSTON 1948 ¶1. With respect to reftel, Embassy's Global Issues Specialist asked the Dutch Foreign Ministry's about the status of the MOU, and was referred to Mr. Th. Sneek, deputy director for international and legal matters in the Defense Ministry. According to Sneek, there is no such MOU being drafted. He explained that language about law enforcement cooperation must be laid down in a treaty and not in an MOU, as MOU's are not legally binding in the Netherlands. ¶2. Rather than drafting a separate bilateral treaty, and thus avoid duplication, Sneek recommended using the Caribbean regional agreement, which the Netherlands signed in Costa Rica on April 10, 2003, as a hook-up for U.S./Netherlands Ledet cooperation. He said that it will be much easier to find a formulation within the context of the regional treaty, rather than draft a new treaty. He also noted that treaty ratification is a complicated and lengthy process in the Kingdom. ¶3. Sneek, who praised U.S.-Dutch counter-narcotics cooperation in the Caribbean, welcomed U.S. reactions to his recommendation. He can be reached directly at 31-70-318 ¶7258. Embassy POC in this matter is Global Issues Specialist Mieke Gronheid at 31-70-3109 269 or gronheidmc@state.gov. Russel