Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06THEHAGUE642
2006-03-24 13:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

NETHERLANDS: CONCERN SIMMERS OVER VENEZUELAN

Tags:  PREL MARR PGOV BL CU CO NT VE NL 
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INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1645
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0140
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0607
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 1135
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ 0410
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000642 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2011
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV BL CU CO NT VE NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: CONCERN SIMMERS OVER VENEZUELAN
INTENTIONS

REF: THE HAGUE 528

THE HAGUE 00000642 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Officer Ted Burkhalter; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000642

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2011
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV BL CU CO NT VE NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: CONCERN SIMMERS OVER VENEZUELAN
INTENTIONS

REF: THE HAGUE 528

THE HAGUE 00000642 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political Officer Ted Burkhalter; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).


1. (C) Summary: WHA PDAS Charles Shapiro met March 15 with
Dutch MFA, Interior, MOD and military intelligence officials.
The Dutch message was consistent. The GONL is deeply
concerned about developments in Venezuela - its neighbor -
but does not currently see a direct military threat to the
Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. Colombian paramilitary
demobilization, counter-narcotics, gangs and the future of
Cuba are all on the Dutch radar screen. End summary.

Venezuela and the Netherlands Antilles: Tempered concern
-------------- --------------


2. (C) GONL officials consistently expressed dismay over the
direction President Hugo Chavez is taking Venezuela.
According to MFA Director General for Political Affairs (P
equivalent) Hugo Siblesz, the GONL is "quite aware" of
developments in Venezuela and is not pleased. Its concern,
however, focuses on the Dutch islands. Foreign Minister Bot
has been trying unsuccessfully for six months to arrange a
meeting with Chavez, to warn him not to trifle with the
Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Dutch ambassador in
Caracas had to wait eight months, before presenting his
credentials on March 15. Nonetheless, most civilian
officials expressed confidence that, as long as the islands
are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Venezuela will
keep at arm's length. They were encouraged by the results of
January's local elections in the Antilles, where pro-Chavez
politicians were thoroughly trounced.


3. (C) Dutch military intelligence analysts were more
cautious, saying Venezuelan political activity in the
Antilles remains a major concern. They felt that the
constitutional reform process, now underway, could create
opportunities for Chavez to meddle. As Ministry of Interior
officials made clear, Dutch attitudes toward Curacao's and

St. Maarten's aspirations for increased autonomy are
hardening. If the islands want more autonomy, they are going
to have to develop the capacity to enforce customs,
immigration and judicial standards. Moreover, there is a
growing feeling within the Dutch parliament that some core
governance functions need to revert to Dutch control. This
could cause difficulties, that Chavez could seek to exploit.

EU weapons sales to Chavez: Normal replacement cycle
-------------- --------------


4. (C) GONL officials were satisfied that Venezuelan
purchases of rifles, aircraft and maritime vessels are
innocuous. Military intelligence analysts said Venezuelan
plans to purchase 100,000 rifles pre-date Chavez, and the
purchase of aircraft is part of a normal replacement cycle.
The analysts added that patrol vessels, to be sold by the
Spanish parastatal Navantia, are primarily of a
counter-narcotics and coastal patrol nature. Ambassador
Shapiro noted that Guyana police officials have already
complained of criminals obtaining old, discarded Venezuelan
rifles. Moreover, he said, any Venezuelan arms procurement
risks worrying the Colombians and distracting them from
pressing internal issues. (Note: The MFA informed us on
March 21 that the GONL has blocked the proposed sale of some
Dutch-made shipboard weapons systems to Venezuela. Others
were approved, and at least one request is pending. We have
requested details. On assault rifles, we are not certain the
plans to purchase the rifles do indeed pre-date Chavez. End
note.)


5. (C) Marion Kappeyne van de Coppello, Director of the MFA
Western Hemisphere Department, emphasized the GONL's hard
line on submarine sales. She speculated that Dutch
opposition may have played a key role in the French decision,
last week, not to sell Scorpene class attack submarines to
the Venezuelan Navy.


6. (C) Defense Staff officials (JCS equivalent) said that,
although the Venezuelans are clearly engaged in a build-up,
the scale does not indicate that Chavez has aggressive
intentions. Ambassador Shapiro agreed that Venezuela does

THE HAGUE 00000642 002.2 OF 002


not pose a serious military threat to the Antilles and Aruba
at this time. He said, though, that Chavez clearly intends
to develop force projection capabilities in the Caribbean.

Colombian paramilitary demobilization: funds needed
-------------- --------------


7. (SBU) The GONL is heavily involved in Colombian
paramilitary demobilization and reintegration. MFA's Siblesz
and Kappeyne were concerned, however, that the U.S. funding
bottleneck could harm the program. Demobilized fighters,
with no jobs or training, are already "recycling" and
returning to violence. The GONL has overcome heavy domestic
and EU criticism about the program, and it takes particular
pride in having led the way within the EU.

Counter-narcotics
--------------


8. (SBU) Kappeyne stressed the importance of
counter-narcotics in theDutch approach to Latin America.
She reported god working level cooperation with the
Venezuelanson this issue. In Colombia, the GONL has just
prvided $77,000 toward the UNODCP's coca production urvey
and is interested in manual eradication prgrams (reftel).

Gangs and crime
--------------


9. (SBU) Gangs, and crime in general, are als major Dutch
concerns. The Spanish have suggeste The Netherlands, the UK
and France cooperate onthe problem. MFA DG for Political
Affairs Siblez felt that this could be used to enhance EU
intrest in the region and to redirect EU attention frm
purely economic concerns.

Cuba: Post-Castro ransition
--------------


10. (C On Cuba, Kappeyne said that neither EU engagementnor
U.S. isolation has produced results. Ambassdor Shapiro
noted that we are focused on the futre, and that our policy
aims to ensure that thereis a transition in Cuba is to
democracy, rather han a succession from one communist regime
to anther. He added that Chavez's strategic goal is jut
the oppositie and that he is using his oil revnue to
sunbsidize Cuba.

Comment
--------------


1. (C) The Dutch do not see eye to eye with the U.S on
every issue, but they have been useful in braking Spain's
lock on EU Latin American policy. They breathed a sigh of
relief after Chavez's alies were mauled in the local
elections in the Antlles but remain alert. Their concerns
extend tothe PDVSA-operated refinery in Curacao, the larges
single non-tourism employer on the island, and hell's
problems with the GOV. On Colombia, The etherlands has been
a leader in providing assistace to the GOC demobilization
and reintegration pogram and has brought along Sweden.
Frin Minister Bot will visit Peru, Bolivia and Chile March
27, 28 and 29, respectively, and then join Queen Beatrix in
Argentina for a March 30 - April 1 state visit. Coordination
with The Netherlands in The Hague, Washington and in other
capitals will continue to pay dividends.


12. (U) This cable has been cleared by PDAS Shapiro.
HUFF