NETHERLANDS/DPRK: DUTCH WILLING TO CONSIDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001986

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL NL UN KN
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/DPRK: DUTCH WILLING TO CONSIDER
FUNDING RADIO BROADCASTS TO NORTH KOREA


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


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 5, 2007, Deputy Special Envoy
for Human Rights in North Korea, Christian Whiton, briefed
Dutch MFA officials on U.S. plans to promote human rights in
North Korea, particularly through funding for independent
radio broadcasting. The Dutch agreed to consider funding for
such programs in the context of the Netherlands' new human
rights fund and other policy objectives. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Mr. Adriaan Palm, Head of the East Asia and Oceania
Department, Mr. Gerbrand Visser, Korea Desk, and Mr. Joris
Geeven, Human Rights policy officer offered the following
comments in response to Mr. Whiton:

-- U.S. proposal: The Dutch will consider supporting
independent radio broadcasts by examining the idea under the
lens of Dutch policy on Korea and human rights, and budget
limits. Palm noted that efforts to promote human rights
can't be completely separated from progress in the six-party
talks, and from economic issues. China's interest in Korean
stability and getting access to Korean resources may lead it
to support a more open North Korea, although China does not
want a united, economically powerful Korea. Tough sanctions
and aid that only support "survival" won't prompt reform in
Korea. Economic exchanges, where the west shows Koreans they
have something to learn, may help engage and open the regime.
An economic development program is probably the more likely
fit for Dutch policy. Visser noted that any broadcast
program should consider the large cultural gap between North
and South Koreans -- the authoritarian regime's controls have
even atrophied the North Koreans' vocabulary, making it hard
for them to understand western ideas. Geeven cautioned that
while the Dutch like media diversity programs, the programs
they offer are small. Any new initiative will need to fit
within FM Verhagen's new human rights strategy, announced
November 7.

-- UN Third Committee action: Geeven noted that the EU
resolution on North Korea was tabled November 2. The text is
good, and South Korea supports it thanks to lobbying by South
Korean NGOs.

-- Dutch Visits to Asia: Palm will visit North Korea the week
of November 12. In two weeks, Geeven and Dutch Human Right
Ambassador Hamburger will visit Beijing, where they will
raise concerns about the plight of North Korean refugees.

(U) This message was cleared by Mr. Whiton.
Arnall