NATO ENLARGEMENT: DUTCH PARLIAMENT COMPLETES

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000055 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/UBI - Sherri Holliday, EUR/RPM-DANIEL LANGENKAMP, L/T-FRANK HOLLERAN SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MARR PREL NL NATO SUBJECT: NATO ENLARGEMENT: DUTCH PARLIAMENT COMPLETES RATIFICATION PROCEDURES; ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS TO FOLLOW Ref: 03 State 235543 (SBU) For the record, on December 15, the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament approved the Accession Protocol for NATO Enlargement to include the seven invitees. The vote was the same as a previous one in the Second Chamber, or lower house, of parliament, with only the opposition Green Left and Socialist Parties opposing enlargement. With the First Chamber's approval the parliamentary ratification process has been completed. Dutch MFA sources advise that former FM (and NATO SYG since January 1) de Hoop Scheffer had requested the First Chamber to take up the accession quickly before his departure, which led to faster than usual action by the First Chamber. The MFA also confirms that while the matter of enlargement is concluded politically, the GONL needs to take several more administrative steps (including signature and counter-signature by the Queen, as well as formal publication of the action). Following these steps, the Dutch Embassy in Washington will deliver the instrument of ratification to the Department of State. This is expected to take place by the end of January. Sobel