Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08THEHAGUE1002
2008-12-03 14:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
NETHERLANDS/ FM TO SIGN CLUSTER MUNITIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHTC #1002 3381454 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 031454Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2293 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0169 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 0443
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001002
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2018
TAGS: PARM NATO MOPS PREL NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/ FM TO SIGN CLUSTER MUNITIONS
CONVENTION
REF: A. STATE 125512
¶B. STATE 125608
¶C. THE HAGUE 00684
¶D. TIBILISE 01552
Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Andrew C. Mann
for reasons 1.5(b,d)
(C) Head of the Nuclear Affairs and Non-Proliferation
Division, Henk cor van der Kwast, confirmed that the Dutch
Foreign Minister, Maxime Verhagen, will sign the Convention
on Cluster Munitions on Wednesday, December 3, in Oslo,
Norway. Pol-Mil Officer delivered points from reftels on
December 2 to Kwast who added that the Dutch feel that
Article 21 is flexible enough for military alliances and
bilateral relationships. He indicated there will be some
pressure from some NGOs and other countries in support of a
more narrow interpretation of Article 21 but that it should
not be a significant issue for the Netherlands. At the
signing ceremony the FM may comment on Dutch journalist Stan
Storimans, who was killed August 12,2008 by a Russian cluster
munition (Reftel c and d).
CULBERTSON