Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07IRANRPODUBAI64
2007-11-06 15:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Iran RPO Dubai
Cable title:  

DUTCH AMBASSADOR SEEKS OUT IRPO TO PREP FOR DG VISIT

Tags:  IR PHUM KNNP PGOV PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9243
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHDIR #0064/01 3101534
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P R 061534Z NOV 07
FM IRAN RPO DUBAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0187
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0001
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0137
RUEHAD/USDAO ABU DHABI TC
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0171
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI 0180
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000064 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR GAYLE; BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD
BAKU FOR HAUGEN; ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM
THE HAGUE FOR FALLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/6/2017
TAGS: IR PHUM KNNP PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: DUTCH AMBASSADOR SEEKS OUT IRPO TO PREP FOR DG VISIT

REF: 11/06/2007 The Hague email to NEA/IR and IRPO

RPO DUBAI 00000064 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jillan Burns, Director, Iran Regional Presence
Office, DoS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000064

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR GAYLE; BERLIN FOR PAETZOLD
BAKU FOR HAUGEN; ISTANBUL FOR ODLUM
THE HAGUE FOR FALLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/6/2017
TAGS: IR PHUM KNNP PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: DUTCH AMBASSADOR SEEKS OUT IRPO TO PREP FOR DG VISIT

REF: 11/06/2007 The Hague email to NEA/IR and IRPO

RPO DUBAI 00000064 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Jillan Burns, Director, Iran Regional Presence
Office, DoS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1.(C) Summary: Dutch Ambassador to the UAE Gilles Beschoor Plug
and First Secretary Martijn Schottold IRPO November 6 that the
Dutch MFA Director General Pieter De Gooijer will travel to Iran
next week to raise the case of Iranian-Dutch human rights
activist Abdullah al-Mansouri, on trial for terrorist activities
in Iran. Ambassador Plug also asked about the US view of the
recent Saudi uranium enrichment consortium proposal. Plug
described Dutch-Iran relations as "normal European" and was not
aware of any Iranian retaliation for against the embassy for
Dutch NGO Hivos' Iran-related projects and Farsi broadcasting.
End Summary.



2.(C) IRPO Director and Poloff met November 6 with newly arrived
Dutch Ambassador to the UAE Gilles Beschoor Plug, at his
request. Ambassador Plug was accompanied by Interior Ministry
First Secretary Martijn Schot. Ambassador Plug requested the
meeting in preparation for the upcoming one-day stop of Dutch
MFA Director General Pieter De Gooijer in the UAE, in advance of
a visit to Iran.



De Gooijer's agenda in Iran

--------------













3.(C) According to the Ambassador, De Gooijer's top agenda item
in Iran will be the case of a Dutch-Iranian human rights
activist Abdullah al-Mansouri, who may be facing a death
sentence on charges of terrorism and sedition. The Ambassador
said the Dutch embassy is not certain if a sentence has been
passed yet or not, as embassy officials were denied access to
the trial on the grounds that al-Mansouri is an Iranian
national. (Note: Al-Mansouri is the leader of the Ahwaz
Liberation Organization (ALO),an Arab separatist group. He was
arrested in Syria in May 2006 and extradited to Iran. Family
members claimed that al-Mansouri was not allowed access to legal

representation during trial and that he was sentenced to death.
However, Iranian officials have reportedly assured the
Netherlands that al-Mansouri has not been sentenced to death.
End note.)



4.(C) IRPOffs discussed some of the tactics private individuals
used that seemed most helpful in lobbying for the recent release
of several detained Iranian-Americans. Most helpful seemed to
have been a personal appeal to the Supreme Leader and advocacy
by family members inside Iran. At the same time, IRPO noted the
differences between those cases and the al-Mansouri case, in
which he was charged with terrorism. IRPOffs said they were
unaware of any recent cases involving Americans charged in
relation to ethnic activism. The Ambassador took note of the
comments on lobbying efforts and said he would convey them to
the MFA.



5.(C) The Dutch diplomats did not mention any intention of De
Gooijer to raise Afghanistan with Iranian officials. (ref:
11/06/07 email from Embassy The Hague to NEA/IR and IRPO).



USG views of Saudi consortium proposal?

--------------

RPO DUBAI 00000064 002.2 OF 002





6.(C) Ambassador Plug asked for USG views of the recent Saudi
proposal of a nuclear enrichment consortium for Gulf countries.
IRPOffs explained the proposal as it was described in press
accounts, noting its differences from the Russian enrichment
plan envisaged in the P5+1 package. IRPO noted that the Saudi
proposal to locate the enrichment consortium in a third country
-- possibly Switzerland, according to press accounts -- does not
make clear whether the enrichment technology would be controlled
by the third country, or if parties to the consortium would have
access to the technology. Furthermore, the Saudi proposal does
not clarify any procedures for the return or disposal of spent
fuel. In any case, Iran, in its reaction to the Saudi proposal,
rejected any proposal that did not include enrichment on Iranian
soil.



Dutch civil society activities

--------------



7.(C) IRPO asked the Ambassador if Iran exhibited any particular
recrimination against the Dutch embassy in Tehran in response to
Dutch democracy programs, such as government-funded Farsi
broadcasting or NGO Hivos' civil society projects. The
Ambassador replied that as far as he knew, Dutch diplomats did
not face any particular harassment in Iran and described
Dutch-Iran relations as "normal European," putting the UK in a
different category. Neither Plug nor Schot were certain if the
Dutch-sponsored Farsi broadcast was currently on the air and if
so, from where it was broadcast.



8.(C) Comment: The Ambassador stressed that the primary role of
the Netherlands' diplomatic presence in the UAE was commercial,
but that recently they had been asked to focus more on political
issues. First Secretary Schot appeared very well-versed in
Iranian politics. The Ambassador agreed to seek a readout of De
Gooijer's trip to Iran at IRPO's request. He mentioned he had
hoped to arrange a meeting with IRPO with De Gooijer, but the
DG's compressed schedule did not allow for it.
BURNS