NETHERLANDS/AUSTRALIA GROUP: RESPONSE ON PLENARY

S E C R E T THE HAGUE 001043 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CB, EUR/PRA, EUR/UBI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2016 TAGS: PARM PREL AG ETTC NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/AUSTRALIA GROUP: RESPONSE ON PLENARY DEMARCHE REF: STATE 70409 Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) Polmiloff discussed reftel points with MFA Senior Advisor for Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Affairs Ceta Noland on May 9. Noland said the Dutch plan a presentation on Iran and Syria, but not/not Russia, during the information exchange of the upcoming Australia Group plenary. She explained that the Dutch intelligence agencies are not focused on Russia; any information on Russia would be secondary based on their coverage of targets like Iran or Syria. At present, Dutch intelligence agencies have no evidence suggesting that Russia is "doing anything it is not supposed to be doing," Noland said. ¶2. (S) Noland explained that the EU "welcomed" Russia's interest in joining the Australia Group, but would not endorse Russian membership until the Australia Group had assessed Russia's export control system. She noted that Russia was "shocked" the EU did not go further to support Russia's candidacy, and had demarched EU capitals twice (most recently on April 17) to put pressure on the USG to support Russian membership. Noland said neither the Dutch nor the EU would bow to Russian pressure. She also said that Russian interlocutors had suggested that Moscow would support the membership of new EU members into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in exchange for Russian membership in the Australia Group, and also pushed for Belarusian membership to the MTCR and the Australia Group -- the Dutch rejected this linkage. ¶3. (S) Noland welcomed a U.S. presentation on Russia during the information exchange, especially if it pertained to Russia's export control system. She noted that both the United Kingdom and Germany had expressed recent reservations to the GONL regarding Russia's export control system, and had reluctantly endorsed the EU's welcome of Russian interest in the Australia Group; she expected presentations from the two during the plenary. She also asked for the USG position on Croatia's candidacy, which the EU "warmly welcomes." ARNALL