DUTCH MFA ON US MIDEAST UNGA STRATEGY

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002748

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS NL UNSC
SUBJECT: DUTCH MFA ON US MIDEAST UNGA STRATEGY

REF: SECSTATE 305553

Classified By: Political Counselor Mary E. Daly for reasons 1.5 (b and
d)


1. (C) On October 31, PolOff delivered reftel demarche on
U.S. Mideast UNGA strategy to Pieter Ramaer, Head of the
MFA's Political and Legal Affairs Division. Ramaer said
"U.S. arguments are good," and the Dutch are in favor of
ending or limiting those practices mentioned. However,
Ramaer noted that consolidating a resolution is easier than
abolishing entire divisions, sending staff home and cutting
funding. According to Ramaer, "something has to be done to
improve conditions on the ground," otherwise it will prove
difficult to garner support for certain aspects of the U.S.
strategy. Ramaer believes it will be difficult to end the
mandate of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli
Practices, but said the EU "has never had much sympathy" for
the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of
the Palestinian People. He said he will discuss all reftel
points with the Dutch delegation in New York, and that any
decisions made would be within an EU framework.
SOBEL