NETHERLANDS/MTCR: NO MAJOR OBJECTIONS TO U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000413 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/MTR (K. WILSON) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2017 TAGS: MTCRE PARM PREL ETTC KSCA MNUC TSPA NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/MTCR: NO MAJOR OBJECTIONS TO U.S. UAV/CRUISE MISSILE PROPOSAL REF: STATE 23826 Classified By: Political Counselor Andrew Schofer, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GONL has no major concerns regarding the latest U.S. proposal to modernize Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) controls on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and cruise missiles, and suggested that the EU will support it. However, the Dutch have minor reservations regarding the proposal's revision of the 300 kilometer range/500 kilogram payload, and suggested an additional explanation by the USG at the Oslo Technical Experts Meeting would be greatly appreciated. MFA Senior Advisor for Nuclear and Nonproliferation Affairs Ceta Noland discussed these issues with POLMILOFF on March 7. End summary. ¶2. (C) Noland said the GONL is currently reviewing the latest U.S. proposal to modernize MTCR controls on UAVs and cruise missiles. The GONL supports the need to review Category 1 and 2 definitions, she said, as current definitions have become antiquated due to technological advances. Noland noted that the Dutch have "no major concerns" with the U.S. proposal and added we should "not be worried" about EU support -- most EU members favor the proposal, while the UK urged EU members at a recent non-proliferation meeting in Brussels to accept it. She also welcomed the proposal's new revisions, especially those incorporated from a South African counterproposal. ¶3. (C) That said, Noland acknowledged that the Dutch have small reservations regarding the proposal's revision of the 300 kilometer range/500 kilogram payload criteria. She said the "workable" U.S. proposal remained "quite complicated" due to the 300/500 criteria revision, and noted the GONL prefers the "straight-forward" South African counterproposal. She further characterized Dutch reservations on the 300/500 criteria revision as "a gut feeling," and suggested they might lead to loopholes the USG could exploit. She reiterated that these concerns were minor, but added that an additional explanation by the U.S. delegation at the Oslo Technical Experts Meeting would be greatly appreciated. BLAKEMAN