DUTCH MFA ON DECEMBER PSI MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002860 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2013 TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KNNP SUBJECT: DUTCH MFA ON DECEMBER PSI MEETING REF: SECSTATE 311368 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Nathaniel P. Dean for reasons 1.5 (b and d) (C) On November 13, PolOff delivered reftel points on the December PSI operational experts' meeting to Hedda Samson, Policy Officer in the Dutch MFA's Security Policy Bureau Nonproliferation office. Samson has served as the Dutch operational expert in previous PSI meetings. Samson noted reports in the Belgian press suggesting the GOB had been invited to contribute to PSI. (Note: the Dutch have supported involving other EU members in PSI. Concerning Belgium, it is worth noting that sea access to and from the port of Antwerp passes solely through the Dutch territorial waters of the West Schelde river. Under the terms of an 1842 treaty governing the West Schelde, the Dutch are obliged to treat ships proceeding to and from Antwerp as being on the high seas and cannot interfere with them. As Antwerp is the second largest port in Western Europe, this could have implications for PSI actions.) RUSSEL