LIBERIA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000092

SIPDIS

AF/RSA FOR SCHOFIELD AND SPYKERMAN
AF/W FOR MCGRATH
EUR/UBI FOR S.HOLLIDAY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2009
TAGS: AORC EAID ECON LI NL PREL
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED

REF: STATE 07168

Classified By: EconCounselor Richard Huff for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (U) On January 13, EconOff delivered ref demarche
regarding the Feb. 5-6 Liberia reconstruction conference to
Roel van den Veen of the MFA's West Africa Division. Van den
Veen will share the points with colleagues from the MFA
Directorate of Peacebuilding/Human Rights (which oversees the
Division of Humanitarian Aid).


2. (C) According to Van Den Veen, the MFA is in the midst
of internal discussions on Liberia. Jan Berteling, Director
of the MFA Division of Peacebuilding/Human Rights, is working
to convince Development Minister Agnes van Ardenne to
contribute more substantially to Liberia reconstruction, but
forces in Van Ardenne's camp are averse to new Africa
commitments because they want to adhere to the MFA's
designated "priority" regions: the Great Lakes and Horn of
Africa regions. Van Ardenne will travel to Liberia and Sudan
January 26-28, accompanied by Minister for Defense Henk Kamp.
Since November 17, the Dutch have a navy ship and 250 staff
anchored off the coast of Liberia lending medical support to
the UNMIL peacekeeping operation. The ship is on a 3-month
deployment.


3. (SBU) Post will follow up with MFA week of January 19
to get an answer to ref demarche once their internal
consultations are complete.
RUSSEL