Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARTO41304
2009-04-13 19:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Delegation, Secretary
Cable title:  

Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation

Tags:  OVIP PREL PHUM NL AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000 
OO RUEHWEB 

DE RUCNAI #0004 1031931 
ZNY CCCCC ZZH 
O 131931Z APR 09 
FM USDEL SECRETARY//EUROPE// 
TO RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARTO 041304 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/31/2019
TAGS: OVIP PREL PHUM NL AF
SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation
with Dutch PM Balkenende

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARTO 041304

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/31/2019
TAGS: OVIP PREL PHUM NL AF
SUBJECT: Secretary Clinton's March 31, 2009 conversation
with Dutch PM Balkenende


1. (U) Classified by: Paul Wohlers, Deputy Executive
Secretary, S/ES, Department of State. Reason 1.4(b,d).


2. (U) March 31, 2009; 10:25 a.m.; The Hague,
Netherlands.


3. (U) Participants:

U.S.
The Secretary
Deputy Secretary Lew
SRAP Holbrooke
A/S Fried
Ms. Abedin, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary
Mr. Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary
Mr. Falls (Embassy Notetaker)

NETHERLANDS
PM Balkenende
Mr. Karel van Oosterom, Senior Adviser to the PM
Mr. Robert de Groot, Deputy DG for Political Affairs,
MFA



4. (C) SUMMARY. In a short meeting on the margins of
the March 31 "International Conference on Afghanistan:
A Comprehensive Strategy in a Regional Context" in The
Hague, the Secretary and Dutch PM Balkenende reviewed
Afghanistan, the NATO summit, the G20 Summit in London,
and the "NY 400" celebration commemorating Henry
Hudson's trip to the New World and founding of the first
Dutch colony. END SUMMARY.


5. (C) Afghanistan - The Secretary thanked Balkenende
for Dutch efforts to host the conference and thanked him
also for the Netherlands' "great work" in Uruzgan. She
was glad Balkenende had seen Pakistan's FM Qureshi.
Pakistan is trying to look internally, rather than at
India, in addressing security and political concerns.
PM Balkenende said the new U.S. strategy on Afghanistan
and Pakistan was "a great help."


6. (C) NATO Summit - The Secretary noted that she
separately had urged France and Denmark to engage Turkey
to resolve Turkish concerns over France's rejoining of
NATO's military structures, and over Danish PM Rasmussen
serving as the new NATO Secretary General. Balkenende
noted he hoped to meet with President Obama during the
April 3-4 NATO summit.


7. (C) G20 Summit - Balkenende thanked the Secretary
for supporting the Netherlands' participation in London.
The Secretary responded, "You deserve to be there. It's
not a gift."


8. (C) NY 400 - Balkenende noted the events in New York
would receive a lot of publicity. He hoped the
President would participate. The Secretary said "we're
very excited" about the events.
CLINTON