IRAQ: UPDATE ON DUTCH MADRID PLEDGES AND ABU

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000462 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EUR/UBI EB/IR FOR M.KISSEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: UPDATE ON DUTCH MADRID PLEDGES AND ABU DHABI MEETING PARTICIPATION REF: A. STATE 31782 ¶B. STATE 38288 Madrid Pledges Not Yet Fulfilled -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Dutch have not yet delivered their EUR 10 million Madrid pledges but are in the process of doing so. They expect to release EUR 5 million to the UN/World Bank Trust fund in April 2004. The other EUR 5 million, which was pledged for humanitarian assistance, is expected to be dispersed via Dutch and international NGOs before the summer. This information comes from Ms. Hagar Ligtvoet of the MFA's Peacebuilding and Good Governance Division. The message from the MFA continues to be that the Netherlands does not plan to contribute ODA funds to Iraq in the future. Contributions will be limited to humanitarian assistance and small reconstruction activities related to the Dutch military mission in Al-Muthana. Dutch Presence at Abu Dhabi Meeting -------------- ¶2. (U) The Dutch have not yet announced whom they will send to the Feb. 28-29 Abu Dhabi meeting (ref B) but Iraq desk officer Josephine Frantzen predicts it will be someone from the Dutch embassy in the UAE. SOBEL