UNSCR 1747/OECD: DUTCH WILL NOT REPLY TO U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001252 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EB,ISN,IO,NEA STATE ALSO FOR EUR/UBI E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2017 TAGS: UN PREL EFIN ETRD OECD EXIM NL SUBJECT: UNSCR 1747/OECD: DUTCH WILL NOT REPLY TO U.S. SURVEY ON EXPORT CREDITS TO IRAN REF: A. STATE 81876 ¶B. STATE 81875 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael F. Gallagher reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Econoff delivered ref (a) and (b) points June 18 to Ministry of Finance Officials Evert Houtman, Coordinator International Financing Issues, Export Credit Insurance and Investment Guarantees Division, and Nicole Bollen, Coordinator Debt Issues and also OECD Export Credit Group Chair. ¶2. (C) Houtman said the GONL had "fully implemented" the EU's April 23 Common Position and the associated regulations covering UNSCRs 1737 and 1747. Export credits were excluded as they were not "specifically mentioned anywhere" in the EC regulations or UN sanctions. The Dutch, he added, remained "cautious" but open to new export credit commitments on a case-by-case basis. ¶3. (C) Houtman noted he had seen the U.S. survey on export credits to Iran, and said the Dutch would abide by the European Commission's (EC) decision to refuse an answer. Econoff stressed the leading role played by the OECD in export credits, and explained that the EC decision to not answer the U.S. survey did not preclude bilateral contact on the issue. Houtman replied that while bilateral contact was welcome, the EU had a common trade and export credits policy to which the GONL would adhere to with "no deviation." ¶4. (C) On new UNSC action, Houtman said it was too soon to tell whether the GONL would support explicit export credit restrictions to the Government of Iran. ARNALL