NETHERLANDS/RUSSIA: DUTCH SHARE CONCERN OVER DRAFT

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 003213 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL NL RS SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/RUSSIA: DUTCH SHARE CONCERN OVER DRAFT LAW ON NGOS IN RUSSIA REF: SECSTATE 212899 Classified By: Acting DCM Andrew Schofer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Dutch share U.S. concerns regarding the draft NGO law under consideration by the Russian Duma and have raised the issue bilaterally and through European fora, according to MFA officials. On November 28, EUR DAS Rosemary DiCarlo raised reftel points with MFA Director for Southeast and Eastern Europe Jan Lucas van Hoorn. Van Hoorn stressed that the Dutch have the same critical view of the draft legislation as the U.S., and noted that the Dutch have expressed their concern directly in bilateral discussions with Moscow as well as via the EU. ¶2. (C) Joris Geeven (Senior Policy Officer, Human Rights and Peacebuilding Department, MFA) further clarified to poloff on November 28 that the Dutch had worked with the UK Presidency to articulate an EU statement on the draft law, which UK Foreign Minister Straw recently presented to the Duma. Geeven explained that the statement acknowledges Russia's "need to combat extremism," but strongly conveys EU concern that the law will frustrate NGO activities. Geeven added that the Dutch are particularly concerned with the draft law in light of Russia's upcoming term as President of the G-8. ¶3. (C) Geeven predicted that, pursuant to what he perceived as a common procedure at the Kremlin, Putin will excise the most Draconian measures of the law in an effort to demonstrate his sensitivity to international criticism. Geeven postulated that the law in its final form will nonetheless severely constrain NGO activities in Russia. BLAKEMAN