ISRAEL/WEOG: DUTCH ANTICIPATE STATUS QUO

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000507

SIPDIS

IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2014
TAGS: PREL AORC IS EU NL UN
SUBJECT: ISRAEL/WEOG: DUTCH ANTICIPATE STATUS QUO

REF: SECSTATE 38273

Classified By: PolCouns Mary E. Daly Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) The GoNL favors renewing Israel's WEOG membership in
New York; however, it is unlikely to agree to enhancing
Israeli participation in other UN fora. PolOff met with
Pieter Ramaer, head of the MFA's UN Political and Judicial
Office, on February 27. Ramaer stated that neither the GoNL
nor the EU has finalized a position on this issue. However,
the Dutch believe that the current agreement limiting
participation to New York is appropriate. Ramaer said that
the EU is concerned that Israeli participation in other fora,
particularly Geneva, would foster a difficult WEOG working
environment. EU members are particularly worried about
Israeli participation in consultative and information-sharing
WEOG meetings at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Ramaer also noted that some in Europe are worried about what
they see as Israel's desire to become a full member of
Europe. That anxiety, in connection with the state of the
current Israeli political situation, will act against full
Israeli participation in WEOG by some governments, he
conjectured. The GoNL would eventually like to see Israel
admitted as a full member of the Asia group.


2. (C) Ramaer did acknowledge that recent events in Nairobi
(reftel) are problematic. He has asked his Embassy in
Nairobi to obtain further information, and will discuss the
issue further within EU meetings.
SOBEL