NETHERLANDS/NEW CABINET: INCOMING FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 000297

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PTER EUN NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/NEW CABINET: INCOMING FOREIGN MINISTER
SETS PRO-U.S. TONE

REF: THE HAGUE 282

Classified By: COUNSELOR FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS ANDREW J. SCHOFER FOR RE
ASONS 1.4(B/D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Dutch Foreign Minister-designate Maxime
Verhagen told Ambassador Arnall on February 15 that becoming
foreign minister was the fulfillment of a "boyhood dream."
He stressed that maintaining and strengthening U.S.-Dutch
relations will be among his highest priorities as foreign
minister. Verhagen expects that revisiting the debate on a
European Constitution and maintaining support for the war on
terrorism will be his biggest challenges. While expressing
support for eventual Turkish accession to the EU, Verhagen
acknowledged that he would probably take a tougher line on
Turkey than his predecessor. He is frustrated by the lack of
good options for dealing with Iran. Although not a career
diplomat, Verhagen is clearly comfortable with his new role,
and intends to be a strong voice in favor of trans-Atlantic
ties in the new center-left Dutch Cabinet. END SUMMARY.



2. (C) On February 15, Ambassador Arnall paid a
congratulatory call on Maxime Verhagen, the Parliamentary
Floor Leader of the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) who
was tapped on February 13 to replace Ben Bot as Foreign
Minister in Prime Minister Balkenende's next cabinet
(reftel). Verhagen was clearly excited about taking on his
new responsibilities, and said that becoming Foreign Minister
fulfilled his "boyhood dream" He was pleased to have the
opportunity to talk to the U.S. Ambassador before his
official swearing in ceremony -- most likely February 22 --
so that he could still speak "freely" as a politician, rather
than as a diplomat. (Note: According to Verhagen's staff,
he canceled a previously scheduled appointment to accommodate
post's request for a meeting with Ambassador Arnall.)


3. (C) Verhagen noted that he has often been criticized by
political opponents and the Dutch press for being "too
pro-American." From his perspective, however, this is a
badge of honor. Verhagen recalled that his father had taken
him to the American World War II cemetery in Margraten at
least once a year from the time he was six years old; his
grandfather, he added, had been sent to a concentration camp
in Germany. According to Verhagen, younger Dutchmen whose
parents did not live through the liberation of Holland did
not understand the depth of the gratitude felt by their
elders. For many of the younger generation -- including some
of his colleagues in the new Cabinet -- the Vietnam war had
been a more significant influence in determining their
attitudes toward the U.S.


4. (C) In response to a question from the Ambassador,
Verhagen said he expected his two biggest challenges as
Foreign Minister would be revisiting the debate on a European
Constitution -- in whatever form that might take -- and
"maintaining support for the war on terrorism." Verhagen,
who supported the Dutch deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan
while in Parliament, argued that the European public, and
much of the political elite, still failed to grasp their own
stake in the struggle against international terrorism. The
NATO mission in Afghanistan, for example, must succeed -- the
futures of both Afghanistan and the NATO alliance depend on
it. Verhagen stressed that he would push within the Dutch
government, as well as in NATO and the EU, for increased
U.S.-European cooperation in fighting terrorism.


5. (C) With regard to the EU Constitution, Verhagen indicated
that much would depend on the outcome of ongoing intra-EU
discussions, as well as the upcoming elections in France. He
is personally committed to the continuing integration and
enlargement of the EU, he said, as long as the process
proceeds logically within clearly-set parameters. Asked
about Turkey, Verhagen stated that he supported eventual
Turkish membership in the EU. That said, he acknowledged
that he did not expect to be as "personally" engaged in
facilitating Turkish-EU relations as his predecessor. (Note:
FM Bot, a former Ambassador to Ankara, was widely viewed as
more forward-leaning on Turkey than others in his party,
including Verhagen.) Verhagen stressed that Turkey should
not get any special breaks, but must meet all criteria to the
letter. Ambassador asked whether Verhagen worried about
being seen to apply a tougher standard on Turkey than on
other prospective members; Verhagen replied that, if it had

THE HAGUE 00000297 002 OF 002


been up to him, EU membership for Romania, Poland, Cyprus,
and others would also have been delayed until those countries
fully met all membership criteria.


6. (C) On Iran, Verhagen stressed that he was "very worried"
about the lack of good options. He noted that he had been
"surprised" by the U.S. decision to intervene militarily in
Iraq because Iran had, to him, seemed the greater threat at
the time -- and was now an even more difficult challenge.
He expressed support for the efforts of the EU-3, IAEA, and
UN Security Council to deal with Iran, but agreed with
Ambassador Arnall that countries like China and Russia could
and should play a more helpful role.

COMMENT AND BIO NOTE:
--------------


7. (C) By agreeing to meet with the American ambassador even
before assuming his new position, Verhagen clearly wanted to
signal his intention to pursue a strong trans-Atlantic agenda
as Foreign Minister. His ties to the United States are
personal as well as professional -- he has traveled
extensively there with his family (often in a camper) and
participated in a USG-sponsored International Visitor's
Leadership Program (IVLP) exchange in 1999. Verhagen's son
will also shortly begin a six-month flight-training course in
Arizona. Although not a career diplomat like Bot, Verhagen
is a veteran of countless foreign policy debates in
Parliament -- both as CDA floorleader and, earlier, as the
party's foreign policy spokesman -- and is obviously
comfortable with his new responsibilities. In the coming
months, his diplomatic skills will be put to the test not
only on the international stage, but also within the new
center-left Dutch government, where many of his cabinet
colleagues hold more skeptical views of U.S.-Dutch relations.
Verhagen's effort to reach out to us so early in the game
strongly suggests that he will be a solid and effective
friend in the Balkenende IV cabinet.
BLAKEMAN