Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05THEHAGUE2853
2005-10-20 15:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

NETHERLANDS/ISRAEL/UNGA: DUTCH FOLLOW EU LEAD

Tags:  PREL IS NL UNGA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002853 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR IO/UNP - RAYMOND HOTZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL IS NL UNGA
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/ISRAEL/UNGA: DUTCH FOLLOW EU LEAD

REF: A. SECSTATE 188933


B. SECSTATE 188927

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002853

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR IO/UNP - RAYMOND HOTZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL IS NL UNGA
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/ISRAEL/UNGA: DUTCH FOLLOW EU LEAD

REF: A. SECSTATE 188933


B. SECSTATE 188927


1. (SBU) The Dutch are cosponsors of the Holocaust
Remembrance Resolution and will follow the majority EU
position by abstaining from voting on the renewal of the
mandates of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable
Rights of the Palestinian People (Committee),the Division
for Palestinian Rights within the UN Secretariat (Division),
and the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices
Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and
Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (Special Committee).
Piet van der Vliet (Director, International Law Division,
MFA),Mark Verschuur, and Marieke Tilleman (Deputy Directors,
International Law Division, MFA) imparted this information to
POLOFF in response to ref a and b points during a meeting on
October 20. POLCOUNS separately delivered ref a and b points
to Henriette van Lynden, Director of the MFA's Office of
Middle East and North African Affairs on October 14.


2. (SBU) The Dutch feel little enthusiasm for the three UN
bodies at issue in ref a, but do not wish to break ranks with
the EU, Van der Vliet explained. Tilleman added that, during
their term in the EU Presidency last year, the Dutch had
considered attempting to build consensus within the EU to
abolish all three bodies. Tilleman demurred when asked why
the Dutch decided not to follow through with the idea.


3. (SBU) Van der Vliet and Tilleman noted that EU consensus
on the mandates is not firm; they suspect Malta and Cyprus
will again break with the majority to vote to renew the
mandates for the Committee and the Division. A Dutch "no"
vote under these circumstances would further divide the EU,
an outcome that Van der Vliet found undesirable. Tilleman
acknowledged that the new Palestinian Ambassador to the UN
may "soften the edges" of the resolutions but doubted that
any such revision would lead to a change in the Dutch
position.


4. (SBU) POLOFF asked Dutch counterparts whether the decision
by world leaders at the 2005 World Summit to review all UN
mandates older than 5 years might contribute to a shift in
Dutch, and EU, policy away from the three UN bodies at issue.
Van der Vliet replied that, though he hopes the mandates of
the three UN bodies are thoroughly scrutinized, the Dutch
will not "politicize the issue" by aggressively advocating
for such a review.
BLAKEMAN