NETHERLANDS/IRAQ: BOT VISITS BAGHDAD, PUSHES FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002172

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2014
TAGS: PREL IZ NL EUN
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/IRAQ: BOT VISITS BAGHDAD, PUSHES FOR
GREATER EU ROLE

REF: THE HAGUE 1935

Classified By: POLCOUNS ANDREW J. SCHOFER FOR REASONS 1.4(B) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Dutch Foreign Minister Bot's November 29
visit to Iraq will hopefully spur the EU to take a more
active role in Iraq, according to an MFA interlocutor who
participated in the trip. An EU "exploratory commission"
tasked with developing concrete proposals for supporting
reconstruction and security in Iraq traveled to Iraq with
Bot; its preliminary findings will be briefed to the upcoming
Gymnich (informal) meeting of EU foreign ministers. Bot
reportedly was favorably impressed by his Iraqi contacts,
especially PM Allawi, whom Bot invited to address the EU
Council meeting in November. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On August 31, Michiel den Hond, Director of the Dutch
MFA's Office of North African and Middle Eastern Affairs,
briefed POLCOUNS on Foreign Minister Bernard Bot's August 29
visit to Baghdad. According to den Hond, the short visit
(six hours, all in the "green zone") succeeded in its prime
objective of encouraging the EU to take a more active,
constructive role in Iraq. Den Hond identified the areas in
which the EU could play a useful role as: election support;
rule of law; civil administration; and security (including
police training).


3. (C) Bot traveled to Iraq with an EU "exploratory
commission" chaired by Dutch MFA Deputy Political Director
Hermann Schaaper (reftel) and including representatives of
the European Commission and European Council Secretariat.
This commission is tasked with assessing where and how the EU
should concentrate its efforts most effectively and
developing specific recommendations. Den Hond noted that
while the EU had agreed in July to take a more "positive"
approach to Iraq, the European Commission and Council
Secretariat had been reluctant to travel to Iraq or even do a

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practical assessment until Bot's trip. By accompanying the
exploratory commission personally to Baghdad, he noted, Bot
gave it political credibility and also a sense of urgency.
The commission remained in Iraq for three days and is
expected to report its preliminary findings to the September
3-4 Gymnich meeting. Den Hond observed that even if the
exploratory commission is not prepared to issue a formal
report at the Gymnich, Bot would be prepared to present his
own "informal" views and recommendations on the basis of his
visit and readouts from Dutch participants.


4. (C) Den Hond said that Bot had been very favorably
impressed by his Iraqi interlocutors, which included PM
Allawi, President Al-Yawar, and Foreign Minister Zebari.
(Bot also met UN representative Mountain.) Allawi in
particular appeared to be comfortable in his role as a
self-assured "man of power" who intended to realize Iraq's
full potential, den Hond said. Den Hond added that while it
was encouraging to see Iraqis taking charge of their own
country, some of Iraq' neighbors might not view Allawi's
ambitions so favorably. The EU, he said, was already
beginning to work with neighboring states to minimize such
concerns and encourage regional cooperation. Bot formally
invited Allawi to attend the European Council meeting on
November 5. Den Hond said that Allawi's anticipated presence
at this meeting would hopefully spur the EU to move quickly
to formalize its program for supporting Iraqi reconstruction.

RUSSEL