NETHERLANDS/GOLDSTONE: SAME REDLINES AS IN GENEVA

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000668 SIPDIS IO/HR FOR PAUL KRUCHOWSKI IO/UNP FOR ANDREW MORRISON NEA/IPA FOR JEFFREY GIAUQUE USUN NEW YORK FOR ELLEN GERMAIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019 TAGS: IS KPAL PREL PHUM PTER NL SUBJECT:... 232980 2009-11-04 09THEHAGUE668 Embassy The Hague CONFIDENTIAL 09SECSTATE112828|09THEHAGUE615 C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000668 SIPDIS IO/HR FOR PAUL KRUCHOWSKI IO/UNP FOR ANDREW MORRISON NEA/IPA FOR JEFFREY GIAUQUE USUN NEW YORK FOR ELLEN GERMAIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019 TAGS: IS KPAL PREL PHUM PTER NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/GOLDSTONE: SAME REDLINES AS IN GENEVA REF: A. SECSTATE 112828 ¶B. THE HAGUE 615 Classified By: PolEcon Counselor Andrew C. Mann for reasons 1.5(b,d) (C) Post conveyed reftel A points to key MFA staff covering the Middle East, the UN, and human rights. Lex Gerts, Deputy Head of the Human Rights Division, said the Dutch would apply the same redlines they used in Geneva to determine their vote on UNGA resolutions concerning the Goldstone report -- supporting the primary role of the Human Rights Council in evaluating the report, letting the parties conduct their own internal investigations, and permitting time for those investigations to take place. A deadline for further action or review would be appropriate in 5-6 months, as contemplated in the previous compromise to defer consideration of the report until March 2010. A deadline of 3 months would be too early. Gerts emphasized that the Dutch parliament fully supports this approach. (Note: The parliament's support follows a compromise reached within the governing coalition, reftel B, allowing the Dutch to oppose the Goldstone resolution at the Human Rights Council. End Note.) LEVIN