GLOBAL FORUM V: DUTCH WILL NOT SEND FORMAL

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000529 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KCOR KJUS AORC ASEC OTRA OVIP PREL UN ECON, EAID, SF, NL SUBJECT: GLOBAL FORUM V: DUTCH WILL NOT SEND FORMAL DELEGATION REF: STATE 33001 THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) The Dutch will not send a formal delegation to the April 2-5 Fifth Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity (GF V) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hans van Bodegraven, Director of Customs and Consumer Finance at the Dutch Ministry of Finance, told Econoff March 21 the GONL shared USG concerns regarding GF V and welcomed USG points on the GF V declaration. He said it was "clear" the international community had lost interest. Van Bodegraven helped organize the customs program in the Netherlands in 2001, when he said the U.S sent a "large" delegation. At that time, however, he said there was reason to push forward with GF V as the UN Convention Against Corruption did not exist. ¶2. (SBU) Van Bodegraven noted he still planned to attend, but only because he would make a presentation -- at the invitation of the World Customs Organization -- on capacity building and anti-corruption best practices, particularly from the perspective of the Dutch Customs Administration. He added he would be the sole attendee from GONL. ARNALL