NPA-GOP PEACE TALKS: DUTCH WEIGHING SISON

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002340

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/PMBS, S/CT, EB/ESC/ESP,INR/EC, EUR/ERA
TREASURY FOR ZARATE
JUSTICE FOR OIA/FRIEDMAN
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR LEGATT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2008
TAGS: PTER ETTC RP NO EUN
SUBJECT: NPA-GOP PEACE TALKS: DUTCH WEIGHING SISON
ATTENDANCE

REF: A. FBIS JPP 20030916000023

B. FBIS SEP 20030912000037

Classified By: DCM DANIEL RUSSEL. REASON 1.5 (D)


1. (C) Press reports (cited in reftels) have pointed to
preparations for September 20-21 exploratory peace talks
between the New People's Army and Government of the
Philippines in Oslo. The Dutch government told us that NPA
leader Sison has applied for permission to leave the
Netherlands to attend the talks with a guarantee that he be
allowed to return. The Dutch have indicated they will
probably comply with Sison's request but only after receiving
an official request from the Phillippine government to allow
Sison to travel and presumably to engage in limited financial
transactions to support his journey. Both Sison and the NPA
are on the EU list of designated terrorist entities whose
accounts must be frozen and financial transactions blocked.
SOBEL