Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07THEHAGUE1063
2007-06-06 05:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
POTENTIAL SALE OF DRENT GOEBEL PRESS TO THE DPRK:
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHTC #1063 1570538 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 060538Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9365 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1710 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 4083 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1702 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1764 RUCNSE/US SECRET SERVICE WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001063
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER)
STATE ALSO FOR ISN, EAP, EUR, INL
TREASURY FOR TFI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017
TAGS: KNNP MNUC KS PARM PREL KH NL
SUBJECT: POTENTIAL SALE OF DRENT GOEBEL PRESS TO THE DPRK:
DUTCH REACTION
REF: STATE 71889
Classified By: Economic Section Chief Karen Enstrom
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001063
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER)
STATE ALSO FOR ISN, EAP, EUR, INL
TREASURY FOR TFI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017
TAGS: KNNP MNUC KS PARM PREL KH NL
SUBJECT: POTENTIAL SALE OF DRENT GOEBEL PRESS TO THE DPRK:
DUTCH REACTION
REF: STATE 71889
Classified By: Economic Section Chief Karen Enstrom
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
1. (U) Econoff and Secret Service Agent John McDonough
delivered reftel points June 1 to Erik Ligthart, Deputy
Director of the Financial Integrity Unit, Dutch Ministry of
Finance, and Ministry of Economic Affairs (MEA) officials
George Bontenbal, Export Control and Strategic Goods, and
Kees Jan Steenhoek, Senior Policy Advisor, Trade Policy
Department.
2. (C) All three officials said they had not heard of the
Drent Goebel case and that they would investigate further.
Any Dutch reaction, Ligthart said, would have to consider the
May 21 Swiss Federal Police report that questioned whether
North Korea could produce Supernotes. Ligthart doubted
whether it was possible to deny North Korea its sovereign
right to print currency and whether the technology in the
printing press was subject to controls -- in which case, the
decision to discourage the export would have to be political.
3. (C) Bontenbal confirmed Ligthart's concerns and said
absent any "strategic" technology in the presses, there would
be no straightforward legal means to restrict the export. He
explained that a Dutch connection must exist, such as the use
of Drent Goebel presses in the Netherlands, before the GONL
could take action. He agreed to verify whether Drent
Goebel's Netherlands headquarters was more than just a
"financial or tax construction," in which case the GONL could
talk to management. He added that the MEA would investigate
through their export control enforcement channels and follow
up with Post regarding any substantive information found or
actions taken.
GALLAGHER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER)
STATE ALSO FOR ISN, EAP, EUR, INL
TREASURY FOR TFI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017
TAGS: KNNP MNUC KS PARM PREL KH NL
SUBJECT: POTENTIAL SALE OF DRENT GOEBEL PRESS TO THE DPRK:
DUTCH REACTION
REF: STATE 71889
Classified By: Economic Section Chief Karen Enstrom
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)
1. (U) Econoff and Secret Service Agent John McDonough
delivered reftel points June 1 to Erik Ligthart, Deputy
Director of the Financial Integrity Unit, Dutch Ministry of
Finance, and Ministry of Economic Affairs (MEA) officials
George Bontenbal, Export Control and Strategic Goods, and
Kees Jan Steenhoek, Senior Policy Advisor, Trade Policy
Department.
2. (C) All three officials said they had not heard of the
Drent Goebel case and that they would investigate further.
Any Dutch reaction, Ligthart said, would have to consider the
May 21 Swiss Federal Police report that questioned whether
North Korea could produce Supernotes. Ligthart doubted
whether it was possible to deny North Korea its sovereign
right to print currency and whether the technology in the
printing press was subject to controls -- in which case, the
decision to discourage the export would have to be political.
3. (C) Bontenbal confirmed Ligthart's concerns and said
absent any "strategic" technology in the presses, there would
be no straightforward legal means to restrict the export. He
explained that a Dutch connection must exist, such as the use
of Drent Goebel presses in the Netherlands, before the GONL
could take action. He agreed to verify whether Drent
Goebel's Netherlands headquarters was more than just a
"financial or tax construction," in which case the GONL could
talk to management. He added that the MEA would investigate
through their export control enforcement channels and follow
up with Post regarding any substantive information found or
actions taken.
GALLAGHER