NETHERLANDS/SYRIA: NO PLANS TO MEET AT UNGA

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 002427

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2025
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER SY NL EUN
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/SYRIA: NO PLANS TO MEET AT UNGA

REF: STATE 159137

Classified By: POLCOUNS Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (S) On September 7, POLCOUNS delivered reftel points
separately to Tessa Terpstra (Acting Syria/Lebanon Desk
Officer, Dutch MFA) and Karel van Kesteren (Director of the
MFA's Department of UN and International Financial
Organizations Affairs.) POLCOUNS also asked directly whether
the Dutch anticipated any high-level contacts between the
Dutch and Syrian delegations on the margins of UNGA.
Terpstra and van Kesteren stressed that no such meetings were
planned or expected. They added that they would keep the
U.S. points in mind should they receive a request from the
Syrian side (which they did not anticipate.)


2. (S) According to Terpstra, neither Dutch Prime Minister
Balkenende nor Foreign Minister Bot has expressed interest in
meeting their Syrian counterparts at this time. (They do
plan to meet, however, with counterparts from Oman, Qatar,
and the UAE -- which Balkenende plans to visit later this
fall -- as well as from Israel and the Palestinian
Authority.) Terpstra noted that the Dutch share the concerns
raised in the demarche, and also see no reason to meet with
the Syrians at a time when the EU's association agreement has
"stalled" due to Syria's lack of cooperation. Van Kesteren
similarly stressed that the Dutch leaders had limited time
and other, higher priorities for UNGA.
BLAKEMAN