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