CHR 61: DUTCH REJECT POLITICAL MOTIVATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001063 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2015 TAGS: PHUM NL UNHRC EUN SUBJECT: CHR 61: DUTCH REJECT POLITICAL MOTIVATION OF CUBA'S RESOLUTION ON GUANTANAMO REF: STATE 69823 Classified By: DCM Daniel R. Russel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) 1. The Charge met Pieter de Gooijer (MFA, Director for European Integration and incoming Deputy Political Director) April 17 to discuss reftel points. While the Dutch could live with the text of the resolution, de Gooijer said they were working to move the EU toward rejecting it because it was politically motivated and therefore "unacceptable." ¶2. (C) In a separate discussion the same day, Joris Geevens (MFA, Human Rights office) told Poloff that the EU saw this as a test case to take a stand against politically motivated resolutions and was working toward a common position opposing it. Some in the EU strongly opposed the resolution, he said. The Dutch and others struggle to distinguish the substance, which seems generally acceptable, from the procedural and political aspects, which are not. He noted Dutch appreciation for the USG's principled position not to pursue a no action motion. He said the Dutch welcomed the USG's Member States briefings on the detainee issue in Geneva and U.S. willingness to work with the CHR mechanisms looking into Guantanamo. Strategically, he suggested the Non-Alligned Movement should be enlisted to convince Cuba that the resolution is a bad idea. Further, he said the final EU position "depended on the larger EU partners and their positions." SOBEL