C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002724

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015
TAGS: PREL VE EU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ NOT INVITED TO THE
HAGUE

REF: SECSTATE 186100

Classified By: POLCOUNS Andrew J. Schofer for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) On October 7, POLOFF raised reftel concerns regarding
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's upcoming visit to Europe
with Dimitri Vogelaar (Senior Desk Officer for Venezuela,
MFA). Vogelaar said he was aware that Chavez planned to
attend the Ibero-American Summit in Salamanca, Spain. He had
also heard that Chavez might visit Paris and later attend a
seminar on Latin American development in Lombardy, Italy.
Vogelaar assured POLOFF that the Dutch have not invited
Chavez to the Netherlands and do not expect him to visit The
Hague.


2. (C) POLOFF asked Vogelaar about Dutch FM Bot's planned
visit to Venezuela. Vogelaar responded that Bot had not yet
received an official invitation from Chavez, but had been
invited by Venezuelan VP Rangel for a meeting to be held on
either October 19 or 20. Although it was unclear whether Bot
would meet with Chavez during the visit, Vogelaar said Bot
planned in any case to deliver a tough message to the
Venezuelans about their unacceptable meddling in Aruba and
the Netherlands Antilles.
BLAKEMAN