Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05THEHAGUE2044
2005-07-22 16:36:00
SECRET
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

NETHERLANDS/VENEZUELA: DUTCH FM THINKING TOUGH ON

Tags:  PREL PHUM EPET NA NL VZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002044 

SIPDIS

WHA FOR PDAS CHARLES SHAPIRO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM EPET NA NL VZ
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/VENEZUELA: DUTCH FM THINKING TOUGH ON
CHAVEZ

Classified By: Charge Chat Blakeman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002044

SIPDIS

WHA FOR PDAS CHARLES SHAPIRO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM EPET NA NL VZ
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/VENEZUELA: DUTCH FM THINKING TOUGH ON
CHAVEZ

Classified By: Charge Chat Blakeman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) FM Bot told the Ambassador on July 20 he would
welcome a briefing by WHA PDAS Charles Shapiro on August 23
or 24 as part of the Netherlands increasing engagement on
Venezuela. He made clear that he wanted to be helpful on
Venezuela and is willing to adopt a strengthened posture,
including taking a leadership role inside the EU. In a
separate conversation with the Ambassador, DG for Political
Affairs Hugo Siblesz, Bot's senior political advisor,
emphasized that the Dutch are looking for "visible meetings
between the U.S. and the GoNL to underscore the fact that we
are engaged together on Venezuela."


2. (C) The Dutch are not enthusiastic about meeting Chavez
face to face now. Bot said that should Chavez visit Europe,
he was not interested in meeting with him. Siblesz,
confirmed there is no visit planned now and said similarly
that the Dutch would meet Chavez only under "extraordinary
circumstances" and only if were in Europe on other business.
Any such meeting, Siblesz added, would be at the FM, not PM,
level. Bot said he hoped to visit Venezuela in October,
along with Colombia, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.


3. (C) In separate discussions with the Ambassador on July
21, General Dick Berlijn, Chief of the Defense Staff, said he
would also welcome a USG briefing for the MOD. Berlijn noted
that the recent deployment of F-16s to Aruba was the first
deployment for the Dutch in that theater. He told the
Ambassador that in the future the GoNL could consider sending
submarines to the Caribbean to assist in counternarcotics
work. He added that the Dutch want to work with other
countries to put forces into the region as needed in this
regard, including brown water assets.
BLAKEMAN