NETHERLANDS/UZBEKISTAN: FOLLOW UP ON RESETTLING

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002039 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2015 TAGS: PREF PGOV PREL PHUM NL KG UZ SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/UZBEKISTAN: FOLLOW UP ON RESETTLING UZBEK REFUGEES REF: A. THE HAGUE 1987 ¶B. SECSTATE 131485 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Herbert Traub for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Acting PolCouns followed up reftels with Anna Brinks (MFA, refugee assistance officer) on July 22, who revealed that the Dutch still have about 50 open places from their 2005 refugee quota of 500. For these spots they could consider individual cases "on a case by case ("dossier") basis" if asked, but UNCHR has not done so. However, taking large numbers of refugees would be "impossible" for the Dutch "for many reasons," she said. She said she knew the resettlement issue had been under discussion in Geneva at UNCHR and that countries in the region had been approached to accept the refugees, but she had no further details. ¶2. (SBU) As for the U.S. offer to resettle all the refugees, she welcomed it but was concerned about the implications of the interview procedures explained in ref B. She understood in theory that refugees applying for asylum in the U.S. would have to pass an immigration interview first but was uncomfortable that a person did not pass would be left resident in the country that had offered to hold them temporarily pending the interviews. BLAKEMAN