Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04THEHAGUE1413
2004-06-07 14:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

DUTCH: NO E.U. CONSENSUS FOR FIRST STEP AGREEMENT

Tags:  EAIR NL 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

071400Z Jun 04
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001413 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TRA/YOUNG AND WALKLET; EUR/UBI/HOLLIDAY
TRANSPORTATION FOR MARY STREET

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH: NO E.U. CONSENSUS FOR FIRST STEP AGREEMENT

REF: SECSTATE 124593

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001413

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TRA/YOUNG AND WALKLET; EUR/UBI/HOLLIDAY
TRANSPORTATION FOR MARY STREET

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH: NO E.U. CONSENSUS FOR FIRST STEP AGREEMENT

REF: SECSTATE 124593


1. On June 7 econoff conveyed reftel demarche to Rene
Fennes, head of International Relations at the Ministry of
Transport. Fennes reported that among those supporting a
first step agreement were Spain, the Netherlands and (to his
recent surprise) now France. The UK remains "vehemently"
opposed. According to Fennes, Secretary Minetta has
influenced German Transport Minister Stolpe, but many others
in Stolpe's ministry still oppose a first-step agreement.


2. Typically pessimistic, Fennes speculated that only "near
unanimity" among transport ministers in favor of an agreement
would be sufficient to pressure the staunchest agreement
opponents to yield. Fennes said no such consensus yet
existed, and characterized internal member state efforts to
persuade each other as inconclusive.
SOBEL