Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04THEHAGUE1713
2004-07-08 15:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

NPT: DUTCH VIEWS ON PREPCOM III

Tags:  PARM KNNP NL NPT 
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UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001713 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NP/MNA, AC/ISN AND VC/FO, GENEVA FOR AMB. SANDERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM KNNP NL NPT
SUBJECT: NPT: DUTCH VIEWS ON PREPCOM III

REF: STATE 144404

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001713

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NP/MNA, AC/ISN AND VC/FO, GENEVA FOR AMB. SANDERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM KNNP NL NPT
SUBJECT: NPT: DUTCH VIEWS ON PREPCOM III

REF: STATE 144404


1. (SBU) PolMilOff discussed reftel points with MFA
Nonproliferation policy officer Harman van Dijk on July 8.
Van Dijk attended PrepCom III in New York. The Dutch
consider the PrepCom to have been fairly successful. Like
the U.S. they had no expectation of achieving consensus on
substantive recommendations for the RevCon. Van Dijk said
the GONL had two priorities going into the PrepCom: to see
agreement on as many procedural recommendations as possible,
including on the agenda, and to have a serious debate to
clarify various countries' positions going into the RevCon.
On disarmament, van Dijk said the Dutch found the
presentations by A/S Rademaker, as well as by the UK
delegation, very useful. Nevertheless, he noted certain
other countries reacted with polemical views, i.e., "until
the last one is gone you haven't fulfilled Article VI." He
also said that some other countries expressed doubts as to
whether the Moscow Treaty would result in actual disarmament,
or mere storing of nuclear weapons "on the shelf."


2. (SBU) Van Dijk thought there was a good discussion on
diversion of nuclear materials intended for peaceful
purposes, with the Iranian and North Korean cases as
particular causes for concern. The GONL considers it
important that signature of Comprehensive Safeguards
Agreement and an Additional Protocol have been accepted by
the U.S. and EU countries as the de facto standard for
verification. He noted that a number of countries spoke out
in favor of making this a condition of supply of nuclear
materials. Van Dijk said the GONL is looking forward to
discussing some of the President's February 11 proposals in
more detail. In general, while the GONL doubts that much can
be achieved at the RevCon on disarmament, there is a
significant opportunity for progress on nonproliferation
given the pressing Iran and North Korea examples. Van Dijk
said he expected there will be a lot of attention on the
RevCon, so it is important to have a good public result.
SOBEL