Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08THEHAGUE590
2008-07-11 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
NETHERLANDS SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS AT UPCOMING
how-toVZCZCXRO4564 RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHTC #0590 1931016 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 111016Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1728 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 4123 RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM 3990 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1414
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000590
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T (CWOOD),EUR/WE (TSMITH)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ECON ETRD WTRO NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS AT UPCOMING
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION CONGRESS
REF: STATE 66814
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000590
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T (CWOOD),EUR/WE (TSMITH)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ECON ETRD WTRO NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS AT UPCOMING
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION CONGRESS
REF: STATE 66814
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Netherlands broadly supports U.S.
positions for the upcoming Universal Postal Union (UPU)
quadrennial Congress in Geneva. The two-person Dutch
delegation does not expect this Congress to be especially
controversial as there are few reform issues on the
agenda. They favor the U.S. candidacies and also seek U.S.
support for the Dutch candidacy to the Postal Operations
Council (POC). END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On July 8, Econoff delivered reftel demarche
regarding the UPU Congress to Bert Aerts and Carawan
Groenefelt, Directorate-General for Energy and Telecom,
Ministry of Economic Affairs. (Note: Aerts and Groenefelt
will represent the GONL at the Congress in Geneva. End
note.) The Dutch welcome and fully support the election of
the U.S. to the Council of Administration (CA) and POC.
The GONL continues to view the United States as a valuable
player in the UPU. Aerts requested U.S. support for the
Dutch candidacy to the POC. Unlike in the past, these
elections will be competitive because there are now more
candidates than available seats. Aerts noted the poor
coordination between EU member states on their UPU
candidacies. He said the Dutch are working hard to secure
official support for their POC candidacy and are confident
of success.
3. (SBU) Aerts said the Dutch share U.S. concerns
regarding proposed changes to the UPU mission statement
that would expand the organization's mission to include
trade and economic development. The GONL was "surprised" by
the proposal's insertion and would prefer to see it
"buried" rather than postponed. However, they understand
that political sensitivities may require postponement and
therefore would support this compromise. Aerts expects
most EU member states to oppose the CA proposal as well.
4. (SBU) The GONL continues to officially support zero
nominal growth in the UPU budget from 2009 to 2012 and U.S.
proposals to confirm the status of the UPU's extrabudgetary
groups. The Dutch view these budgetary objectives as
non-controversial.
Gallagher
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/T (CWOOD),EUR/WE (TSMITH)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ECON ETRD WTRO NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS AT UPCOMING
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION CONGRESS
REF: STATE 66814
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Netherlands broadly supports U.S.
positions for the upcoming Universal Postal Union (UPU)
quadrennial Congress in Geneva. The two-person Dutch
delegation does not expect this Congress to be especially
controversial as there are few reform issues on the
agenda. They favor the U.S. candidacies and also seek U.S.
support for the Dutch candidacy to the Postal Operations
Council (POC). END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) On July 8, Econoff delivered reftel demarche
regarding the UPU Congress to Bert Aerts and Carawan
Groenefelt, Directorate-General for Energy and Telecom,
Ministry of Economic Affairs. (Note: Aerts and Groenefelt
will represent the GONL at the Congress in Geneva. End
note.) The Dutch welcome and fully support the election of
the U.S. to the Council of Administration (CA) and POC.
The GONL continues to view the United States as a valuable
player in the UPU. Aerts requested U.S. support for the
Dutch candidacy to the POC. Unlike in the past, these
elections will be competitive because there are now more
candidates than available seats. Aerts noted the poor
coordination between EU member states on their UPU
candidacies. He said the Dutch are working hard to secure
official support for their POC candidacy and are confident
of success.
3. (SBU) Aerts said the Dutch share U.S. concerns
regarding proposed changes to the UPU mission statement
that would expand the organization's mission to include
trade and economic development. The GONL was "surprised" by
the proposal's insertion and would prefer to see it
"buried" rather than postponed. However, they understand
that political sensitivities may require postponement and
therefore would support this compromise. Aerts expects
most EU member states to oppose the CA proposal as well.
4. (SBU) The GONL continues to officially support zero
nominal growth in the UPU budget from 2009 to 2012 and U.S.
proposals to confirm the status of the UPU's extrabudgetary
groups. The Dutch view these budgetary objectives as
non-controversial.
Gallagher