DEMARCHE ON VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL REFERENDUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001983

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/AND, WHA/PDA, AND EUR/UBI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM VE KPAO NL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL REFERENDUM

REF: STATE 168747

Classified By: Pol Counselor Andrew Schofer for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Poloff met with MFA Venezuela Desk Officer Dimitri
Vogelaar August 5 to discuss reftel message. Vogelaar said
that he was disappointed that the EU would not be able to
send an observer mission to Venezuela, but stressed that the
EU would remain involved "even without a European mission."
He cited the Dutch EU Presidency's August 3 declaration (para
3) -- which emphasized the importance of the recall
referendum and voiced support for the mission of the Carter
Center and OAS observers -- as proof of the EU's wish to play
a positive role. He added that the Dutch and EU had
considered other ways of supporting the recall process,
including through supporting civil society, but had concluded
that Venezuelan NGOs have "limited resources and personnel"
and are also "susceptible to government intimidation."
Vogelaar said the Dutch Presidency shares U.S. concerns about
reports of intimidation and threats against signatories of
the "reparo," noting that some Venezuelans feared they would
be fired from their jobs after signing the petition. The
Venezuelan NGO Sumate, he said, had been singled out for
government intimidation, with the GoV seizing upon Sumate's
international ties to create a domestic "backlash" against
it.


2. (C) COMMENT: Public interest in Latin American politics in
The Netherlands is limited, and we are aware of no Dutch NGOs
currently involved in the Venezuelan recall referendum
process. Vogelaar's comments on the fate of Sumate reflects
a general feeling here that international support to civil
society before the referendum could "backfire," making the EU
as a whole even less willing to take further action in
Venezuela. As EU president, the Dutch will continue to seek
to develop a consensus position within the EU will avoid
taking action outside the EU context. END COMMENT.


3. (U) Dutch EU Presidency Declaration released August 3
follows.

The European Union underlines the importance of the upcoming
Presidential revocatory referendum in Venezuela on 15 August.
The EU considers the referendum as an important step towards
a constitutional, democratic solution to the longstanding
political crisis in Venezuela, as agreed in May 2003 by all
parties concerned in line with resolution 833 of the OAS. In
this respect, the referendum is essential for restoring in
Venezuela national reconciliation and democratic stability in
a climate of mutual respect, tolerance and dialogue among all
parties concerned, within the framework of the rule of law
and democratic principles.

The EU calls on all sides to ensure that the referendum is
conducted in a transparent and fair manner, in line with
international standards, and in an atmosphere of tranquility
and restraint. It expresses the hope that the electorate
will actively participate in the process and that the final
result will be respected by all sides.

The EU regrets that it cannot deploy an observation mission
to the referendum in Venezuela. Unfortunately, it has not
been possible to secure with the Venezuelan electoral
authorities the conditions to carry out observation in line
with the Union's standard methodology used in all countries
where EU election observation missions are deployed.
Nonetheless the EU expresses its support for international
missions that will deploy observers to the forthcoming
referendum, in particular the role of the Carter Centre and
the OAS.

End declaration.
RUSSEL