NETHERLANDS: UPDATING ALLIES ON U.S. GLOBAL

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002047

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2014
TAGS: PARM PREL KPAO NL NATO
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: UPDATING ALLIES ON U.S. GLOBAL
DEFENSE POSTURE REVIEW

REF: A. STATE 174698

B. STATE 153029 (NOTAL)

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR ANDREW SCHOFER FOR REA
SONS 1.4 (B AND D)

(S) PolMilOff delivered ref A points to Dutch MFA A/Director
Security and Defense Policy Eric Strating on August 13. DATT
also shared ref A points with MOD Operations Director Air
Commodore Pieter Cobelens on August 13. Neither had any
immediate substantive reaction to this demarche; Starting
said it "seems like a logical step." Post continues to seek
a GONL reaction to points it delivered to MFA Security Policy
Bureau on July 14 concerning possible expansion of the U.S.
Forward Operation Locations (FOLs) in the Netherlands
Antilles (Curacao) and Aruba. Strating said he would
undertake to provide mission with feedback on this specific
issue.
RUSSEL