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