NETHERLANDS/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP: DUTCH "VERY

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001424 SIPDIS SIPDIS UNVIE FOR LISA HILLIARD E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ENRG KNNP KTIA IN SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP: DUTCH "VERY WORRIED" ABOUT US-INDIA NUCLEAR TREATY REF: SECSTATE 104171 Classified By: CDA Michael Gallagher, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) This is an action request. Please see paragraph (5). ¶2. (C) The GONL is "very worried" about granting privileges to a non-NPT nation without that nation also accepting obligations which all other nations have already accepted. That is what Dutch MFA Officer Ceta Van Noland said when poloff delivered reftel points and non-paper on the U.S.-India agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation. Van Noland did not completely rule out Dutch support in the NSG but emphasized that the GONL cannot accept the current agreement without more detailed information. ¶3. (C) Van Noland asserted that India must first complete its safeguards agreement with the IAEA before the Dutch will offer an absolute position on the US-India agreement. She conceded that if the U.S.-India agreement provides the appropriate safeguards, which she said was not yet clear, then the GONL might support the accord. Van Noland also recognizes the positive environmental effects of this agreement. Despite these potential positive effects, however, she declares that the agreement must provide a net gain for the non-proliferation system. ¶4. (C) The Dutch are particularly concerned about how the agreement addresses (1) reprocessing consent and (2) enrichment and reprocessing transfers. In addition, Van Noland was worried that the agreement does not contain a disconnecting clause regarding nuclear testing. The Dutch will not accept a mere "consultation" clause in place. She stressed the Dutch discontent with the failure of both the U.S. and of India to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The Dutch also want to ensure that this agreement will not benefit India's military program. ¶5. (C) Action request: Van Noland was curious about whether (1) there would be a pre-NSG conference briefing in Washington; and (2) whether the Dutch missions in Vienna and Washington had been similarly informed. Please advise. GALLAGHER