CHORNOBYL SHELTER FUND - DUTCH DOUBTFUL

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000598 SIPDIS NP/SC FOR STERN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP KSCA ENRG OTRA TRGY NL SUBJECT: CHORNOBYL SHELTER FUND - DUTCH DOUBTFUL REF: SECSTATE 49212 ECOUNS MADE REFTEL DEMARCHE TO PIETER VAN DONKERSHOUT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND NUCLEAR SAFETY, WHO HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY INFORMED OF THE APPEAL BY A DIRECT COMMUNICATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT. VAN DONKERSHOUT REPORTED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE DUTCH, WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY CONTRIBUTED THREE MILLION EUROS TO THE FUND, WOULD CONSIDER AN ADDITIONAL COMMITMENT, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY A FUNDING SOURCE, AND ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT IN TIME FOR A DONOR MEETING IN MAY. IN ANY EVENT, HE SAID, THE AMOUNT THE DUTCH MIGHT BE ABLE TO PLEDGE WOULD BE SMALL - PERHAPS A MILLION EUROS. VAN DONKERSHOUT NONETHELESS PROMISED TO CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR POSSIBLE SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE FUND. SOBEL