DUTCH WANT ENERGY, NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000121 SIPDIS SIPDIS WHA FOR PDAS SHAPIRO, WHA/CAR FOR MATHEW BUFFINGTON AND LAURA LUFTIG, INR FOR BOB CARHART, EB FOR ENERGY OFFICE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017 TAGS: PGOV ENRG NL VE NA NS SUBJECT: DUTCH WANT ENERGY, NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS WITH VENEZUELA IN SOUTH AMERICA Classified By: P/E Officer Andy Utschig for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Dutch Ambassador-at-large Maurice De Hond told EmbOffs that the Dutch have &good relations8 with Venezuela, their &neighbor8 through the Antilles. De Hond also indicated interest in alternative energy sources in South America, particularly ethanol out of Brazil. The Dutch appear interested in using the port of Rotterdam to profit from energy supplies potentially flowing into Europe from South America. END SUMMARY -------------- Suriname a Good Friend? -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador-at-large, Middle East expert, and Ambassador-designate to Israel, Maurice De Hond, was in Suriname to set the tone for a new era of Dutch diplomatic and foreign relations with Suriname. The Hague wants to transition from a bilateral relationship built upon a historical and post-colonial dependence on development assistance to a more mature and strategic relationship. At one point, De Hond noted that Suriname is a rich country that doesn,t need foreign assistance, but rather needs to develop its resources to achieve economic growth. -------------- Venezuela a Good Neighbor? -------------- ¶3. (C) When asked about Dutch feelings about Venezuela, De Hond said the Dutch have &good relations8 with Venezuela and that Venezuela &is, after all, our neighbor,8 a reference to Venezuela,s proximity to the Netherlands Antilles. (COMMENT: De Hond,s diplomatic answer may merely reflect a desire not to provoke Chavez while the Government of the Netherlands refines its energy diplomacy. Dutch diplomats on the ground in Curacao, however, reportedly complain frequently about Venezuelans to their U.S. colleagues, according to a USG reporting officer in Curacao who provides regional TDY support to Embassy Paramaribo. Reportedly The Hague is hesitant to agree to the desires of Netherlands Antilles officials to send inflammatory Venezuelan diplomat Lorenzo Angiolillo home to Caracas.) -------------- Energy Important, Suriname a Pawn... -------------- ¶4. (C) De Hond made no bones about the Netherlands, desire to tap into energy sources in South America. Particularly interested in ethanol out of Brazil, De Hond also mentioned energy reserves in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador as of interest. (NOTE: At a dinner hosted the previous night by the Dutch Ambassador, The Hague,s Director of Western Hemisphere Office Laurent Stokvis, who was traveling with De Hond, indicated the GON was also "advising" the government of Bolivia on exploiting and exporting natural gas to Brazil and Argentina.) The Dutch are enthusiastic about the possibility of moving to a new type of relationship with Suriname, having long wanted to escape the demanding dependent/supplier relationship which plagues their dialogue with Suriname at present. De Hond also said point blank that the Dutch see Suriname as a stepping stone toward contact and better relations within the region. -------------- ...Brazil a Power, Rotterdam a Money-Maker? -------------- ¶5. (C) De Hond repeatedly referred to Brazil as a power, and the key to South America: influential within the region, with great future potential for influence outside the region. De Hond said that while the Netherlands has its own supply of natural gas, it would like to keep it as a reserve and will look for other sources of energy * Brazilian ethanol, for example. De Hond was enthusiastic about using the port of Rotterdam as a gateway for South American energy resources entering Europe. With this facility already in place, the Netherlands could become the middle-man and strategic broker for ethanol, Russian natural gas, or other energy delivery throughout Europe. PARAMARIBO 00000121 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) COMMENT: De Hond,s comments reflect Dutch fatigue over the post colonial relationship, a desire for more "normal" relations with Suriname, and a practical self-interest in the region. The Dutch interest in South America in general and Brazil in particular as future energy sources shows forward thinking; as a Middle Eastern specialist, De Hond knows well the dangers of oil dependency. A moderate tone regarding Venezuela plays well with The Netherlands, South American counterparts who do not wish to be confrontational with Chavez. The Dutch seem to have seen the writing on the wall, and are taking steps now to ensure that the home lights stay burning in the future, and that energy and Euros keep flowing through Rotterdam. END COMMENT SCHREIBER HUGHES