NETHERLANDS/IRAN: DISCUSSING AMCIT REQUEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000025 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2020 TAGS: CASC PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PROP PTER NL IR SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/IRAN: DISCUSSING AMCIT REQUEST REF: A. SECSTATE 129480 ¶B. 08 THE HAGUE 608 Classified By: DCM Edwin Nolan for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Dutch agreed to consider raising with both the EU and the GOI the matter of the Americans detained in Iran. The GOI has recently made some overtures to the GONL to "elevate" relations. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) AMCITS: On January 7, Charge d'Affaires raised ref A points with Mr. Henne Schuwer, the Dutch MFA Middle East Affairs Director. Schuwer was more forthcoming about possibly assisting the AmCit detainees than his staff had been in previous discussions (ref B). He noted the GONL was mindful of the fact that both a French citizen and an Iranian employee of the UK embassy remained in detention. In addition, the GONL is concerned that any Dutch citizen in Iran might be arrested on a pretext. Schuwer, therefore, agreed to discuss the case about the Americans within the EU. Sweden was "unwilling to make a ruckus" about the detainees when it held the EU presidency. Schuwer was uncertain how Spain would approach the issue. Schuwer also said he would pass the U.S. request to the Dutch ambassador in Tehran. ¶3. (C) GOI PROPOSES ELEVATING RELATIONS: Schuwer added that the Iranians had made some recent overtures toward the Dutch that might lead to a high-level visit. The Iranian Charge d'Affaires visited the MFA just before Christmas and "lectured" Schuwer about how "horrible" the Netherlands was. Schuwer said he responded in kind, but then the Iranian concluded the discussion with the comment that "we should elevate relations." The Iranian told Schuwer the GOI MFA has a new DG for European Affairs and invited Schuwer to visit him in Tehran. Schuwer responded that he would be just as direct with the DG on points of disagreement, and would only visit if accompanied by the Dutch human rights ambassador. Schuwer also cautioned the Iranian that the West is approaching additional sanctions, to which Iranian stated "we will not back down." Nonetheless, the Iranian response on prospects for a GONL visit was "not negative," and the Dutch are looking at a possible visit in the first half of March. Schuwer concluded that he thought the Iranians were "worried" about relations with the West. In addition to the invitation to visit, the Iranians have proposed a Dutch film festival in Tehran, subject to government censorship, and have also made a second request for Tamiflu antiviral medicine. The GONL had rejected the initial request for Tamiflu "outright" but is considering the second request because the government has a surplus, and the flu season is nearly over. LEVIN