NETHERLANDS/IRAN: DUTCH OPEN TO EU SANCTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001899

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV NL IR
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/IRAN: DUTCH OPEN TO EU SANCTIONS

REF: A. SECSTATE 143223


B. SECSTATE 141316

Classified By: Andrew Schofer, Political Counselor, for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: While the Dutch would prefer a "United
Nations context" for any additional sanctions on Iran, they
are also prepared to push for consideration of separate EU
sanctions if necessary. Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen
highlighted his support for "gradual, proportional, (and)
targeted" sanctions on Iran in an October 9 letter to
Parliament. MFA Deputy Director General for Political
Affairs Wim Geerts separately told POLCOUNS on October 12
that the Dutch were "100 percent in agreement" with the U.S.
on the need for a strong and united international message to
Iran. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On October 12, POLCOUNS delivered the reftel points on
Iran to the MFA's Deputy DG Geerts. Geerts reiterated that
the Dutch would prefer to have the UN Security Council take
the lead in applying any additional sanctions on Iran. That
said, Geerts stressed that the Dutch are fully prepared to
support consideration of EU sanctions against Iran. In
response to reftel points on the need for the EU and other
concerned parties to send a strong, clear message to Iran,
Geerts said "we are 100 percent in agreement with the U.S."

3. (SBU) Separately, in a letter sent to Parliament on
October 9, FM Verhagen also stressed the importance of
keeping "additional sanctions in a UN context. If that
channel is blocked, however, Verhagen argued "the EU should
consider tightening the EU sanctions regime, together with
the United States and other like-minded
countries....additional sanctions should be gradual,
proportional, (and) targeted." "One should think in the
first place of freezing assets of more companies...and
individuals supplementary to the existing lists of sanctions
(as well as) the expansion of the list of person to who no
visa is issued." At the same time, the Netherlands "will
continue to support...efforts to find a solution to the
nuclear question through negotiations."


4. (C) COMMENT: The U.S. timetable for action -- adoption of
EU measures between now and November -- may be faster than
the Dutch expect. FM Verhagen's letter noted "At this stage,
this explicitly concerns preparation of measures, and not yet
a decision or implementation." Nevertheless, the Dutch are
committed to using the EU to maintain pressure on Iran to
abandon its nuclear weapons program, even in the absence of a
UNSC resolution. The GAERC conclusion of October 15 matches
the Dutch approach. END COMMENT.
Arnall