NETHERLANDS/EU: MAY 14-15 PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 000899

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UBI (RREITER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EUN ETRD KPAL PREL EAID NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU: MAY 14-15 PRE-GAERC DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 60948

THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE
ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) Summary. The GONL remains concerned about Sudan
and will support EU sanctions if no UN sanctions are
forthcoming. The Dutch are also concerned about progress on
EU-Russia cooperation. They support an EU role in the
International Compact with Iraq and Ahtisaari's
recommendations for Kosovo. The Dutch also support the EU
Code of Conduct for development assistance but are concerned
about the progress of Economic Partnership Agreement
negotiations with Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific regions.
The Dutch support existing targets for military rapid
response over creation of new capacity. On the EU
constitution, the Dutch prefer reform of the Nice Treaty but
do not see hope unless the German Presidency makes
significant progress. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points May 5 to Rochus
Pronk, Deputy European Correspondent, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA). Econoff subsequently met Pronk and Jan
Klugkist of MFA's European Integration Department to discuss
Dutch reactions.

--------------
Sudan: No GAERC Conclusions Expected
--------------


3. (SBU) Pronk said the Dutch do not expect GAERC to adopt
conclusions on Sudan during the upcoming meeting. Pronk said
while the Dutch are willing to allow a little more time for
the political process, their patience is "running out." If
the UN fails to adopt sanctions, then GONL favors EU
sanctions, Pronk said. Pronk added Minister for Development
Cooperation Bert Koenders was on travel in Sudan, and that
Minister for Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen would brief the
GAERC on the visit.

--------------
Somalia: No Further Developments
--------------


4. (SBU) Pronk noted there were no "real" developments
since the last GAERC meeting, and that no significant Council
conclusions were expected. GONL, Pronk said, remains
concerned and continues to support EU efforts to find a
political solution. Pronk also reaffirmed GONL's support to
the AU mission in Somalia.

-------------- --------------
Russia-EU Summit: Concern over New Framework Delay
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) There will be a prepatory session for the May
17-18 summit, Pronk said. During this session, members will
discuss summit deliverables in the areas of economics and the
rule of law, external security, education and culture, and
regional subjects such as Kosovo, Iran, and Middle East peace.


6. (SBU) GONL, Pronk said, will express concern that the
new framework for EU-Russia cooperation has not started. The
mandate for a new agreement with Russia does "not look good,"
he added, given the meat dispute between Russia and Poland.
He also said GONL hopes the recent rioting by ethnic Russians
in Estonia will not affect the summit, although it will
effect the bilateral relationship between those two countries.

--------------
Iran: Solana-Larijani Meeting Not Productive
--------------


7. (SBU) EU High Representative for Common Foreign and
Security Policy and Secretary General for the Council of the
EU Javier Solana will debrief GAERC on his April 25 meeting
with Iranian National Security Council Chief Ali Larijani,
Pronk said, and added "nothing productive" came out of the
meeting. Pronk noted GONL will continue to push for a
diplomatic solution.

-------------- --------------

THE HAGUE 00000899 002 OF 003


Iraq: GAERC to Welcome Outcome from May 3-4 Meetings
-------------- --------------


8. (SBU) Pronk said the GAERC would adopt a conclusion
welcoming the outcome of the May 3-4 International Compact
with Iraq (ICI) signing and Neighbors Meetings in Egypt.
GONL supports an active EU Presidency and Commission role in
ICI, Pronk said.

--------------
Afghanistan: ESDP Mission to Start
--------------


9. (SBU) An ESDP mission is "in the making," Pronk said.
He added police reform is critical to increasing stability
and that the Council would discuss how to set up the mission.
The current plan, Pronk said, is to start June 15 and reach
full strength by November 15. "Third countries" are also
supporting the effort, Pronk added.

-------------- --------------
Middle East: Foreign Minister Verhagen to Visit Region
-------------- --------------


10. (SBU) Verhagen will visit the Middle East June 13-14,
where he will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
and Foreign Minister Abu Amr, Pronk said. Pronk said he did
not expect any major developments in either the GAERC or
those meetings. The GONL supports the Arab League's Peace
Initiative, Pronk added.

--------------
Balkans: Serbia and Kosovo Developments
--------------


11. (SBU) Pronk said the GAERC would adopt a conclusion
welcoming meetings with the Stability Pact for Southeastern
Europe. The Council was also considering further conclusions
regarding Serbia and Kosovo.


12. (SBU) On Kosovo, Pronk said GONL supported Ahtisaari's
recommendations on the status of Kosovo and that a discussion
of the April 24-29 Security Council trip to Kosovo would be
on GAERC's agenda. Pronk added the GONL intended to
contribute 40-60 police to the ESDP mission and would discuss
further cooperation with NATO.


13. (SBU) Pronk noted GAERC would discuss, over lunch, the
5 Bulgarian nurses held in Libya. He said the nurses, and a
Palestinian assistant, are in prison under "difficult
circumstances" and that the EU Commission is leading
negotiations to secure their freedom. A report on the "state
of play" would be provided during the GAERC, Pronk added.

--------------
Defense: No New Rapid Response Capacity
--------------


14. (SBU) The GAERC, Pronk said, will discuss military
capacity and efforts to achieve the 2010 Headline Goal.
Meanwhile, he added, Germany -- together with future
Presidency countries Portugal, and Slovenia -- will be
examining military rapid response. The GONL, Pronk said,
supports this exam but prefers reaching targets set forth in
the existing rapid response framework rather than the
creation of new capacity.


15. (SBU) Pronk said the GAERC will adopt a conclusion on
improving crisis management. The Dutch support strengthening
and deepening the relationship between the EU and UN, he
said. The EU's mission to reform the Congolese army and
security sector will be extended and expanded from Kinshasa
to all of Congo, Pronk said.

-------------- --------------
Development: EPAs, Code of Conduct, and the UN Aid Target
-------------- --------------


16. (SBU) Klugkist said the Commission is currently
negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with 6
African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) regions to replace the
current regime -- established under the Contonou agreement

THE HAGUE 00000899 003 OF 003


and Lome Convention -- that is not WTO-compliant. The GONL,
Klugkist said, supports EPAs that are development friendly,
allow "space" for national development policies, and offer
the ACP more benefits than received by the EU. This must be
accomplished by January 1 2008, Klugkist said, when the WTO
waiver expires. The GONL parliament, he added, is concerned
the EPAs will not be completed on schedule and is
recommending a post summer assessment on the feasibility of
meeting the January 1 deadline. Klugkist said Africa has the
greatest challenges, as two regions -- Central and Eastern
Africa -- have little to no experience with the regional
integration required for an EPA.


17. (SBU) The GONL supports the EU Code of Conduct for
development assistance, Klugkist said, because the program
provides guidelines on how to execute development programs
in-country and encourages cooperation and a "division of
labor" between donor countries. For example, it recommends
limiting EU donors to no more than 3 per sector and the
delegation of aid funds to a "leading donor" to leverage
strengths and reduce coordination costs. This is part of the
Paris Agreement, he added, and a good example of how the EU
is taking steps toward improving the quality of aid.


18. (SBU) On aid levels, Klugkist said the EU agreed to
budget 0.7 percent of GNP to aid by 2017, with an interim
target of 0.42 percent by 2006. He noted the EU has achieved
this target, and is on track to achieve its 2010 interim
target. GONL is already over the final target, and is
currently contributing over 0.8 percent, Klugkist added, and
said the Dutch support discussions to develop a plan beyond

2017.


19. (SBU) Klugkist said there would be a presentation on
the "state of play" on an EU-Africa strategy at the GAERC
meeting. The EU, he added, is looking for an agreement with
Africa by the Lisbon Summit at the end of 2007.

-------------- --------------
EU Constitution: Dutch Support Reform of the Nice Treaty
-------------- --------------


20. (SBU) Regarding the future path of the EU Constitution,
Pronk said the GONL would prefer a reform of the Nice Treaty.
If there is "not enough" agreement under the German
Presidency, he added, Portugal would "not be able to"
continue the Constitutional discussion.
ARNALL