NETHERLANDS TO ABSTAIN ON PALESTINIANS' GOLDSTONE

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000117 SIPDIS FOR IO/HR - COURTNEY MUSSER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: IO PHUM UNGA NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS TO ABSTAIN ON PALESTINIANS' GOLDSTONE RESOLUTION REF: STATE 15722 EMBOFFS delivered reftel points to Mr. Peter... 250833 2010-02-25 10THEHAGUE117 Embassy The Hague UNCLASSIFIED 10STATE15722 UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000117 SIPDIS FOR IO/HR - COURTNEY MUSSER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: IO PHUM UNGA NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS TO ABSTAIN ON PALESTINIANS' GOLDSTONE RESOLUTION REF: STATE 15722 EMBOFFS delivered reftel points to Mr. Peter van der Vliet, Deputy Director of the Dutch MFA's UN and International Financial Institutions Department. Van der Vliet advised that the Netherlands intends to abstain in the February 26 vote in the UN General Assembly on the Palestinian-drafted resolution on the Goldstone Report. He said other EU member states who are like-minded on the issue will similarly abstain but noted that it looks like quite a number of EU members will vote in favor. While he said that things could change depending on the outcome of last-minute EU coordination efforts, the Netherlands will, in any case, not/not vote in favor of the resolution. NOLAN