101184

2007-03-20

07THEHAGUE497
Embassy The Hague

CONFIDENTIAL

07THEHAGUE297|07THEHAGUE418
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 000497

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
FOR A/S FRIED FROM AMBASSADOR ARNALL
WARSAW/COPENHAGEN PLEASE PASS TO A/S FRIED

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MARR, KISL, NL
SUBJECT: YOUR VISIT TO THE NETHERLANDS

REF: A. THE HAGUE 418
B. THE HAGUE 297

Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROLAND ARNALL, REASONS 1.4(B,D)

Assistant Secretary Fried:

1. (SBU) My staff and I are happy to welcome you back to The
Netherlands March 22-23. You will be the most senior
Department of State visitor here since the formation of the
new, center-left coalition government (Balkenende IV). While
the coalition has survived its first major political test by
winning a majority in this month's Provincial elections (ref
a), it is clearly still finding its feet. So far, its agenda
has been dominated by domestic politics -- including a
troubling debate on the status of dual nationals -- but the
new government will shortly have to make tough decisions on
whether to extend the Dutch deployment in Afghanistan, how to
move forward on European integration, whether to continue to
participate in the Joint Strike Fighter program, and other
critical foreign policy and defense challenges. The next few
months, therefore, will be crucial in setting the tone of our
bilateral relationship for the next several years, as well as
in determining whether this government can find a comfortable
balance between its transatlantic and European identities.

2. (C) Your visit provides an excellent opportunity to get
the relationship off on the right foot, and to help tee up
the April visits to the U.S. of Foreign Minister Maxime
Verhagen (CDA) and State Secretary (equivalent to junior
minister) for Development Bert Koenders (PvdA). As noted
ref b, FM Verhagen's instincts favor strengthening the
bilateral relationship, even at the expense of Europe, if
necessary. He is already facing strong pressure from within
the coalition -- and even some factions of his own party --
to show his independence by pressing the U.S. on issues like
renditions and Guantanamo, however. Koenders, on the other
hand, comes to the relationship with a history of challenging
the former government's pro-American tilt despite his long
association with NATO (i.e., Koenders was elected chairman of
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly just prior to joining the
government) and a reputation for being among the most
transatlantic members of his Labor Party. Both ministers
will play key roles in guiding the Cabinet's decision making
on Afghanistan in coming months -- which is why both of them,
along with Defense Minister van Middelkoop, are currently
visiting Uruzgan to review the situation on the ground first
hand.

3. (SBU) Unfortunately, Verhagen and Koenders will be tied up
on Thursday and Friday with formal commemorations of the
anniversary of the Rome Treaty (presided over by Queen
Beatrix) and the weekly cabinet meeting with the Prime
Minister, so it will not be possible to meet with them
personally on this visit. On Thursday, however, you will be
able to discuss the agenda for the upcoming visit and other
substantive issues with Deputy Political Director (and former
Dutch DCM in Washington) Wim Geerts. Later that evening, you
will be the guest of honor at a dinner attended by senior MFA
officials (including Political Director Pieter de Gooijer),
parliamentarians, and other notables (including former Prime
Minister Ruud Lubbers and former Foreign Minister Ben Bot.)
We expect the informal dinner format, in particular, will
lend itself to a lively debate on the future of
U.S.-Dutch-European relations with a well-informed, highly
influential audience of prominent public figures.

4. (SBU) We are also very pleased that you have agreed to
address the inaugural event of the Netherlands-Atlantic
Youth Association on Thursday afternoon at Leiden
University. This group was founded recently, with Embassy
encouragement, to introduce the next generation of Dutch
leaders to the benefits of the transatlantic relationship.
Your participation in this event will help get this ambitious
project off to a strong start, while reinforcing this
mission's efforts to reach out to Dutch youth. We are
working to ensure that this event receives press coverage,
and that you will have an opportunity to address the press
directly on the same themes on the margins of the actual
event.

5. (C) Finally, on Friday morning you will have the chance
to discuss issues of concern to the Dutch Muslim community
over breakfast, following up on the successful visit last
week by Nerissa Cook's delegation on Integration and
Radicalization. During that visit, government officials and
representatives of the Dutch Muslim community expressed
concern that USG initiatives to engage European Muslims could
be perceived as linking the bulk of the European Muslim
population to violent extremist movements. While recognizing
the United States' legitimate interest in countering
extremism and potential terrorist threats, they cautioned
against appearing to associate the integration of European
Muslims primarily with efforts to counter radicalization. In
this context, some cited your recent Washington Times
interview as evidence that the U.S. sees European Muslims as
a collective problem rather than as individuals worthy of
dialogue; your visit will provide the perfect opportunity to
set the record straight.

ARNALL