NETHERLANDS/IRAN: CONSULAR CASE PROMPTS DUTCH TO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001984 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017 TAGS: NL UN IR IAEA EU PHUM KNNP SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/IRAN: CONSULAR CASE PROMPTS DUTCH TO ENGAGE IRAN ON NUKES REF: A. A. THE HAGUE 1714 ¶B. B. THE HAGUE 1899 C. DUBAI 64 Classified By: Ambassador Roland Arnall for reasons 1.5(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On November 7, Dutch MFA Director General Pieter de Gooijer told the Ambassador that he will firmly assert the EU Iran nuclear policy during his upcoming visit to Iran while he urges consular access in the Al Mansouri case. END SUMMARY. NUCLEAR FILE -------------- ¶2. (C) As part of his November 14-16 visit to Tehran, De Gooijer will spell out Dutch support for the EU position during his meeting with Iran,s former chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani. According to De Gooijer, Iran has a "long distance to cover" to regain the confidence of the international community. In public statements on his meetings in Iran, De Gooijer will be careful not to be "used;" he will make clear that the Dutch give full support for the "3 3" efforts (i.e. P5 1). Only with a positive report from the EU,s Solana and the IAEA,s El Baradei would the Netherlands step back from a new UNSC sanctions resolution. And if a UNSC resolution is not possible, the Dutch will support EU sanctions in line with the U.S. approach. ¶3. (C) De Gooijer noted that Iran chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, will visit the Netherlands on November 16, when he will see FM Verhagen. Jalili is also demanding a meeting with PM Balkenende, but De Gooijer says he will not agree to that meeting until he is satisfied with his access and meetings in Tehran. AL MANSOURI CASE -------------- ¶4. (S) FM Verhagen is sending De Gooijer to Iran specifically on the case of Mr. Abdullah Al Mansouri, a Dutch citizen detained in Iran on terrorism charges. (Note: Last week, the rumored death sentence for Mansouri received extensive attention in the Dutch media and prompted inquiries to the MFA from parliament. FM Verhagen publicly called in the Iranian ambassador, who assured him that Al Mansouri had not been convicted or sentenced to death. Al Mansouri had received a Dutch royal decoration in 2001 for his work on behalf of Arab Iranians. End Note.) De Gooijer doubts that he personally will have access to Al Mansouri. The Iranian Deputy FM told De Gooijer that because Al Mansouri is held by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, only a representative from the Dutch intelligence service will be allowed to visit with him. Accordingly, De Gooijer has made arrangements for an official from the Dutch General and Intelligence Service (AIVD) to conduct the visit with Al Mansouri. De Gooijer has recommended that FM Verhagen approve this approach. ¶5. (C) De Gooijer noted that it was "positive" that later Dutch press and parliament discussions revealed Al Mansouri,s purported links to terrorism, and that his past is "less than clean." De Gooijer said the Dutch are &more comfortable8 now treating this as a consular access case, whereas last week it was a &political case.8 The Dutch MFA wants to ensure they have consular access, that any trial is fair and transparent, and that any conviction comes without a death sentence. De Gooijer noted, however, that Al Mansouri,s son puts the plight of Arab Iranians ahead of his father,s liberty. Although Al Mansouri has called and visited his family, the son falsely stated that Al Mansouri was too sick to call. COMMENT: -------------- ¶6. (S) Dutch MFA officials reported last week that De Gooijer originally planned to go to Iran quietly to discuss Afghanistan-related issues. The publicity surrounding the Al-Mansouri case, however, has clearly changed the purpose and nature of the visit, which will now focus -- at least publicly -- on a controversial consular case with serious human rights implications. The Dutch media and parliament are nearly unanimous in their support for taking a tough approach to Iranian human rights violations, and the Dutch also support a tough line on the nuclear issue -- FM Verhagen has publicly supported FM Kouchner's efforts to get the EU to take a tougher stance, for example (reftels A and B.) Nevertheless, the Dutch are also looking for ways to THE HAGUE 00001984 002 OF 002 cooperate quietly -- including on Afghanistan -- where they feel they share common interests with Tehran. The fact that de Gooijer feels the Iranian government would be more comfortable allowing AIVD access to al Mansouri than an MFA representative is a telling detail. Such contacts bear continuing, close attention. END COMMENT. Arnall