Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04THEHAGUE382
2004-02-13 15:24:00
SECRET
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
OPERATION BALKAN VICE III: THE NETHERLANDS
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000382
SIPDIS
EUR (STEPHENS),EUR/SCE (GREGORIAN/KOUMANS),S/WCI
(PROSPER),TREASURY OFAC (NEWCOMB)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2014
TAGS: PREL MOPS EFIN ETTC KAWC BK MK HR GM CY HU SL SZ YI NL ICTY NK
SUBJECT: OPERATION BALKAN VICE III: THE NETHERLANDS
REF: STATE 27291
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARY DALY FOR REASONS
1.5 (B AND D).
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000382
SIPDIS
EUR (STEPHENS),EUR/SCE (GREGORIAN/KOUMANS),S/WCI
(PROSPER),TREASURY OFAC (NEWCOMB)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2014
TAGS: PREL MOPS EFIN ETTC KAWC BK MK HR GM CY HU SL SZ YI NL ICTY NK
SUBJECT: OPERATION BALKAN VICE III: THE NETHERLANDS
REF: STATE 27291
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARY DALY FOR REASONS
1.5 (B AND D).
1. (S) EmbOffs delivered reftel demarche to Dutch Ministries
of Finance and Foreign Affairs respectively on February 9 and
10. Dutch MFA Western Balkans Chief Klaas van der Tempel
expressed support for the action, noting the GONL had been
active last year in arguing for EU visa restrictions on
similar individuals. He said enacting visa restrictions on
the individuals identified reftel would be relatively
straight-forward and that they would encourage such action in
this case.
2. (S) Freezing of assets, he said, was a more complex
matter. For the Dutch, this would require evidence that
would stand up if challenged in a Dutch court. EmbOffs
pushed back, arguing that PIFWCs or their supporters would be
unlikely to challenge an asset freeze, fearing that such
action would smoke them out of hiding. Van der Tempel also
made clear that, in the Dutch view, any action they took
would have to be undertaken pursuant to EU regulation which
does not now exist, adding that a Security Council Resolution
directing such action would be optimal. He noted that this
issue was on the agenda of the EU COWEB, which he termed a
good start. He also suggested that proof of links between
these individuals and Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina will be
needed in order to get EU partners to agree to an asset
freeze. Concerning asset freeze against the three principal
PIFWCs, van der Tempel saw less difficulty given their
indicted status, and EmbOffs noted that this would presumably
apply to all indictees. In general he said that the GONL
supports taking such action and saw no political arguments
against an asset freeze. He took note of the Secretary's
communication on this issue with the Irish Presidency and
said it would be helpful if the Irish put this issue on the
table in EU Councils.
3. (S) Emboff also delivered demarche to Erik Ligthart in the
Ministry of Finance's Integrity Division. Ligthart said that
he would convey information to the AIVD (Dutch Intelligence
Service) so they would be positioned to screen for possible
accounts of these individuals in the Netherlands. Since the
Dutch have no freeze regime in place directed at the
individuals named reftel, they cannot direct their banks to
freeze accounts at this point. In terms of the political
decision to enact a freeze, the Finance Ministry defers to
MFA.
SOBEL
SIPDIS
EUR (STEPHENS),EUR/SCE (GREGORIAN/KOUMANS),S/WCI
(PROSPER),TREASURY OFAC (NEWCOMB)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2014
TAGS: PREL MOPS EFIN ETTC KAWC BK MK HR GM CY HU SL SZ YI NL ICTY NK
SUBJECT: OPERATION BALKAN VICE III: THE NETHERLANDS
REF: STATE 27291
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARY DALY FOR REASONS
1.5 (B AND D).
1. (S) EmbOffs delivered reftel demarche to Dutch Ministries
of Finance and Foreign Affairs respectively on February 9 and
10. Dutch MFA Western Balkans Chief Klaas van der Tempel
expressed support for the action, noting the GONL had been
active last year in arguing for EU visa restrictions on
similar individuals. He said enacting visa restrictions on
the individuals identified reftel would be relatively
straight-forward and that they would encourage such action in
this case.
2. (S) Freezing of assets, he said, was a more complex
matter. For the Dutch, this would require evidence that
would stand up if challenged in a Dutch court. EmbOffs
pushed back, arguing that PIFWCs or their supporters would be
unlikely to challenge an asset freeze, fearing that such
action would smoke them out of hiding. Van der Tempel also
made clear that, in the Dutch view, any action they took
would have to be undertaken pursuant to EU regulation which
does not now exist, adding that a Security Council Resolution
directing such action would be optimal. He noted that this
issue was on the agenda of the EU COWEB, which he termed a
good start. He also suggested that proof of links between
these individuals and Karadzic, Mladic and Gotovina will be
needed in order to get EU partners to agree to an asset
freeze. Concerning asset freeze against the three principal
PIFWCs, van der Tempel saw less difficulty given their
indicted status, and EmbOffs noted that this would presumably
apply to all indictees. In general he said that the GONL
supports taking such action and saw no political arguments
against an asset freeze. He took note of the Secretary's
communication on this issue with the Irish Presidency and
said it would be helpful if the Irish put this issue on the
table in EU Councils.
3. (S) Emboff also delivered demarche to Erik Ligthart in the
Ministry of Finance's Integrity Division. Ligthart said that
he would convey information to the AIVD (Dutch Intelligence
Service) so they would be positioned to screen for possible
accounts of these individuals in the Netherlands. Since the
Dutch have no freeze regime in place directed at the
individuals named reftel, they cannot direct their banks to
freeze accounts at this point. In terms of the political
decision to enact a freeze, the Finance Ministry defers to
MFA.
SOBEL