NETHERLANDS/EU: SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT CANDIDATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000976

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA (P. CHASE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2011
TAGS: PREL PHUM EU BU CY RO TU NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU: SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT CANDIDATES
WANING

REF: A. A) THE HAGUE 606


B. B) SOFIA 489 (EXDIS)

Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew J. Schofer; reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) Summary: The Netherlands appears likely to follow the
European Commission's recommendation, due this month, on
Bulgarian EU accession. The GONL is ambivalent on the date
for Romania - 2007 or 2008 - and is not making any bets on
whether Turkey will ever make it into the Union. The GONL
believes it has British, French and German support for the
general proposition that future EU candidates should be
required to address the toughest political issues,
particularly in the areas of Justice and Home Affairs, up
front. Finally, say the Dutch, the political mood in The
Netherlands is such that the GONL is unlikely to support
calls for further expansion for some years. End summary.

Bulgarian accession: GONL likely to follow EC recommendation
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2. (C) Poloff met April 26 with Stefan van Wersch, MFA,s
European Union Eternal Policy Division Head, and policy
officer adine van Loon. Van Wersch agreed that a European
Commission recommendation that Bulgaria join theEU in 2007,
with safeguards, would be in the bestinterests of The
Netherlands. He recognized tha the other options currently
being discussed in russels - a later accession date or a
delayed deision - could create a nationalist backlash thatcould be harmful to Dutch and EU interests. He woud not,
however, say whether he believed the GONLwould follow the
EC's lead.

GONL: Toughest reorms should come first for future candidates
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3. (C) Van Wersch noted the remarkable pogress Romania has
made in the past 14 months. omanian Prime Minister
Popescu-Tariceanu's deterined efforts to stamp out
corruption, tackle envronmental problems and address other
economic an political criteria had come as a welcome
surpris. By contrast, Bulgaria's abysmal performance durng
the same period was much worse than expected. Now, said van
Wersch, the EU found itself in the unpleasant position of
having to make accession decisions based on political
calculations rather than on the specific criteria agreed to
in the accession negotiations.


4. (C) Van Wersch confirmed reports that the Dutch would push
for an EU accession policy requiring future candidates -
those not currently promised accession - to fulfill the
tougher political criteria up front. In particular, Justice
and Home Affairs would have to be dealt with earlier. He
noted that the proposals are not revolutionary, and added
that the GONL believes it has a measure of support from the
French, British and Germans.

GONL: No more accession rounds, for now
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5. (C) According to van Wersch, the Netherlands does not
anticipate any additional accession rounds for some years.
The population is worn out, he said. He believed the Dutch
parliament remaine committed to keeping its word to those
nations lready promised future accession. However,
poliical developments could always call even that into
question.

GONL on Turkey: The jury is out unti 2007
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6. (C) On Turkish accession, he said, the GONL must wait to
see the results of Turkey's 2007 elections. That would
determine eventual success in meeting the accession criteria.
While declining to speculate on the eventual outcome of
Turkey's bid, he noted that the GONL remained opposed to the
French proposal of tying further movement on the Aquise
toprogress on Copenhagen criteria. He echoed recent
statements by Dutch State Secretary Atzo Nicolai, noting that
The Netherlands remains, in principle, receptive to Turkish
accession. The Austrians, he added, are in their own world.


7. (C) The Dutch would prefer to have more intensive
communication with the Turks and have, for this reason,
proposed quarterly meetings with the Turks to discuss problem
areas (ref A). Turkish Undersecretary for European Affairs
Ahmet Acet was in The Hague April 25, to discuss this with
his Dutch counterparts.


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8. (C) Finally, van Wersch clarified State Secretary Atzo
Nicolai,s widely reported remarks, made during a mid April
trip to the Balkans, that "the boundaries of Europe are
drawn." Nicolai was, said van Wersch, off the reservation.
Foreign Minister Bot subsequently explained to Parliament
that the Netherlands will abide by established EU criteria
for consideration of requests for accession.

Comment: Support for current candidates suffering
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9. (C) Comment: The Dutch political establishment is reacting
to the widespread public sentiment that the EU has expanded
too rapidly. While the negative mood will, in all
likelihood, eventually pass, support for the accession of
current candidate countries is suffering. We will continue
to press the GONL at all levels to help maintain momentum.
ARNALL