NETHERLANDS: DUTCH GRANT ENTRY TO REV. MOON

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 003036

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR DRL/IRF - KATY LURIE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM CVIS NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: DUTCH GRANT ENTRY TO REV. MOON

REF: THE HAGUE 02928


1. (SBU) The Dutch Unification Church (DUC) appears to have
successfully used the Dutch court system to reverse the Dutch
Immigration and Nationalization Service's (IND) decision to
deny visas to Unification Church founder Reverend Moon and
Mrs. Moon -- at least for now. As reported reftel, the
Amsterdam District Court on October 21 rejected the IND's
rationale for denying the initial visa requests. The IND
subsequently appealed the decision, but DUC President Willem
Koetsier informed POLOFF on October 31 that the District
Court had refused the IND's appeal and ordered the IND to
allow Rev. Moon's entrance into the country.


2. (SBU) On November 2, Rev. and Mrs. Moon entered the
Netherlands to participate in a DUC gathering in The Hague.
According to Koetsier, Dutch immigration authorities at the
Moons' point of entry handled all formalities quickly and
presented no obstructions. Rev. and Mrs. Moon left the
Netherlands the following day.


3. (SBU) On November 4, Hans Faber (Policy Advisor, IND)
confirmed Koetsier's statements. Faber added, however, that
the Court's decision is only "preliminary." The Court's
final decision may not be immediately forthcoming; Faber
explained that the process "can take a very long time." He
declined to speculate when the decision may be issued, or
whether the IND would block any similar requests from the DUC
in the future. The IND can choose to drop their appeal
pending the final ruling, though Faber doubted it would do so.
BLAKEMAN