PREPARING FOR THE NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT:

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000210 SIPDIS STATE ISN FOR AMBASSADOR JENKINS AND NSC FOR HOLGATE AND CONNERY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM EAID TBIO IAEA NPT AORC ENRG MNUC PREL NL, SF SUBJECT: PREPARING FOR THE NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT: PREPARATIONS FOR THE FEBRUARY 9-11 SHERPA MEETING IN THE HAGUE REF: STATE 7493 Embassy of the Netherlands Political Officer Hanneke Boerma and Deputy Political Counselor requested an appointment with South Africa's Nuclear Security Summit Sherpa, Ambassador Abdul Minty, as requested reftel. As Ambassador Minty is out of the country, Department of International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Director for Nuclear Disarmament and Nonproliferation Johann Kellerman met with us on January 28. POLOFF presented a note verbale containing the text provided reftel. Boerma delivered a formal invitation from the Government of the Netherlands, along with logistics information on the Sherpa meetings. Kellerman said Ambassador Minty was traveling in Europe and assured us he would convey our message. He also noted that South Africa does not have a sous-sherpa for the Summit. He expressed confidence that South Africa's embassy in the Hague would support Ambassador Minty's participation in the Sherpa meeting. GIPS