Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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03THEHAGUE2366 | 2003-09-19 14:22:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy The Hague |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002366 |
1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel demarche on the IAEA Arab-Israeli dispute at the General Conference (Ref A) to Dutch MFA Deputy Head of Nuclear Affairs and Nonproliferation Division Peter Potman. During the demarche, the MFA received a call from its delegation in Vienna saying the EU had just reached a consensus to abstain on the "Israeli Nuclear Capacities and Threat" resolution. The Dutch are just as displeased with the Arab Group's decision to table the "Israeli Nuclear Capabilities and Threat" resolution as the U.S., and hope the previous arrangement will hold. Before the phone call, Potman said the primary goal was a united EU position and he believed it could only be achieved by abstention. He cautioned that it may be more difficult to get the Arab countries on board for the IAEA meeting in November on Iran. 2. (C) Potman said the Dutch position on the "Application of Safeguards in the Middle East" resolution is not the same as that of the U.S. The Dutch recently voted in favor of UN Resolution 57/97, "The Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East," which is stronger than the Safeguards resolution. If the "Application of Safeguards in the Middle East" resolution is put to a vote, the Dutch will in all likelihood vote in favor of it, but are still undecided. Potman noted Dutch support for UN Resolution 57/97 makes it difficult for them to veto or abstain from the Safeguards resolution, which the Dutch believe is a good resolution. SOBEL |