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### Viewing cable 06THEHAGUE814, ONDCP DIRECTOR'S APRIL 5-6 VISIT TO THE HAGUE

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06THEHAGUE814 | 2006-04-12 13:01 | 2011-01-19 21:09 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy The Hague

`

    VZCZCXRO0958
    RR RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
    RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
    DE RUEHTC #0814/01 1021336
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 121336Z APR 06
    FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5388
    INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1648
    RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0151
    RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO 0277
    RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 THE HAGUE 000814

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR EUR/UBI, D/HS, EUR/PGI, WHA/AND
    INL FOR MCKECHNIE

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: SNAR KCRM PINS PGOV AF NL CO NS
    SUBJECT: ONDCP DIRECTOR'S APRIL 5-6 VISIT TO THE HAGUE

    ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Director for the White House Office
    of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), John Walters visited
    The Hague on April 5-6, at the end of a three-nation tour
    that included stops in Afghanistan and Belgium. Walters met
    with Thomas Driessen, Director of the Dutch National Crime
    Squad, the Dutch Ministers of Health and Justice--who share
    responsibility for drug policy in The Netherlands--and the
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Political
    Affairs Hugo Siblesz. Walters provided a readout of his trip
    to Afghanistan, noting that considerable progress had been
    made in poppy eradication. He also commended the Dutch for
    the substantial steps they have taken to curb their Ecstasy
    trade. The Director promised to send an ONDCP staffer to The
    Hague soon to further follow-up on the bilateral statement of
    cooperation that he and Health Minister Hoogervorst signed
    last July. Siblesz updated Walters on the current state of
    play in Dutch international anti-drug cooperation,
    particularly related to the Caribbean and Latin America.
    Walters welcomed the Dutch efforts and expressed his intent
    to continue to engage the Dutch on counter-drug initiatives,
    particularly in the area of research and drug treatment
    efforts. Walters was accompanied by Ambassador Arnall, ONDCP
    Special Assistant to the Director James O'Gara, ONDCP
    Assistant Deputy Director for the Office of Supply Reduction
    Patrick Ward, ONDCP Policy Analyst Charlotte Sisson, DEA
    Country Attache Jeffrey Boobar, and US Embassy Officer Lisa
    Brooks.

    ¶2. (SBU) ONDCP Director Walters' visit to The Hague began
    with a briefing from the Director of the National Crime
    Squad, Tom Driessen. Driessen noted that his organization
    had been operational for only two years, is under the control
    of the Justice Minister, and has responsibility for organized
    crime, including counter-drug, counterterrorism, and illegal
    weapon interdiction operations. He said that the
    establishment of the Crime Squad had significantly enhanced
    the ability of the Dutch police to cooperate effectively with
    international partners; previously investigations of serious
    crimes were decentralized in the 25 regional police forces.
    He stressed that international cooperation was vital. The
    Netherlands is a major transit point for narcotics entering
    the European market -- the Miami of Western Europe -- and
    consequently the Dutch police rely on relationships with
    partners, especially in the area of intelligence sharing, to
    combat criminal organizations that operate in several
    countries. Driessen conceded that insufficient progress had
    been made on efforts to track and interdict illicit money.
    He noted that Dutch privacy laws and limited resources make
    it necessary for police and prosecutors to concentrate on
    stopping the sale, production, and distribution of drugs;
    following the flow of illicit finances is a lower priority;
    this is an area where international assistance is
    particularly valuable. He further noted that while countries
    such as the United States have a easier time stopping illicit
    finances because of more liberal banking laws, in the
    Netherlands it is easier to obtain permission to do
    wiretapping operations: each system has its advantages and
    disadvantages with regards to law enforcement tools at its
    disposal. (Comment: Driessen is extremely pro-US and was
    instrumental in convincing the GONL to allow DEA agents to
    co-locate with the National Crime Squad Cocaine Unit. End
    Comment.)

    ¶3. (SBU) Driessen noted that the Dutch public continues to
    distinguish between soft drugs (marijuana) and hard drugs
    (cocaine and heroin). They tolerate personal consumption of
    soft drugs because there are no definitive studies showing
    that marijuana has serious health consequences for casual
    users. Driessen noted that drug consumption in The
    Netherlands has stabilized, and the DEA Attache added that
    the average age of first-time drug users is going up in
    Holland. The Dutch have the lowest drug addiction rates in
    Europe. These factors make it difficult to convince the
    general public to view cannabis use as anything other than a
    social or public nuisance problem. Driessen added that any
    effort to close down all marijuana coffeehouses would likely
    be strongly resisted because they are widely viewed as a
    unique part of the Dutch character. He did note, however,
    that mayors in border cities and in Amsterdam, The Hague, and
    Rotterdam have been successful in permanently closing
    coffeehouses that have been found to sell cannabis to minors,
    sell more than the allotted amount to a single customer, or
    violate other laws governing the operation of coffeehouses.

    THE HAGUE 00000814 002 OF 004

    As a consequence, the total number of coffeehouses in The
    Netherlands has steadily declined. (Comment: It is likely
    that in a few years, only well-established, law-abiding
    coffeeshops will remain in business. End Comment.) Driessen
    added that the police are also paying more attention to
    combating organized crime groups involved in the production
    and trafficking of cannabis. He said there is now less of a
    tendency for officials to close their eyes to the back
    door problem of coffee houses being supplied from illegal
    indoor marijuana plantations.

    ¶4. (SBU) Driessen noted that Dutch and other nationals have
    formed organized crime groups that control cocaine and heroin
    distribution in The Netherlands. For example, Colombian,
    Surnamese and Eastern European criminal organizations are
    active in the country, particularly in Amsterdam and other
    major cities. Driessen added that organized crime is not of
    the magnitude or scale that is found in the United States or
    other European countries. However, there are large profits
    to be made in cocaine and heroin smuggling and it remains a
    serious problem in The Netherlands with its open borders and
    large seaports. He further explained that the Dutch have had
    considerable success with the 100 percent check of passengers
    coming in from Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, but
    containerized sea cargoes are a viable alternative for
    traffickers. (Comment: The Dutch currently only have two
    machines to x-ray some 8 million containers per year that
    come into the country; at best only 50,000 containers per
    year could be x-rayed. End Comment.) Driessen attributed
    recent success against Ecstasy production and export to a
    combination of good intelligence, a focus on how drug
    organizations work, and investigations of money and trade
    lines. He added that the Dutch could improve on their use
    and application of certain law enforcement methods. For
    example, Dutch police are currently prohibited from using
    civilian informants in undercover operations. On the other
    hand, they make extensive use of wiretaps.

    ¶5. (SBU) Director Walters met jointly with Justice Minister
    Donner and Health Minister Hoogervorst. Walters provided a
    detailed report on his recent visit to Afghanistan. He noted
    that this was his third trip to the country in two years, and
    he saw marked improvement in Afghan willingness and ability
    to eradicate poppy cultivation. While the opium trade
    continues to represent a serious threat to the flagging
    government of President Karzai, poppy cultivation is down 50
    percent overall and down 90 percent in Nangarhar province
    from 10 years ago. The ministers were accompanied by Arie
    IJzerzman, Director International Criminal Affairs and Drugs
    Policy Department, Ministry of Justice, (MoJ); Paul van
    Voorst, Head, Drug Policy Coordination Bureau, (MoJ); Gert
    Bogers, Senior Policy Advisor, (MoJ); Annemiek van Bolhuis,
    Director Nutrition, Health Protection and Prevention
    Department, Ministry of Health, (MoH); Senior Advisor Marcel
    de Kort, (MoH); and Albert Olthof, Chief, Bureau of
    International Police Cooperation, Ministry of Interior.

    ¶6. (SBU) In response to a query about how the Dutch could
    further assist the United States on drug-related issues, the
    Director noted that the United States was keen to increase
    cooperation on interdicting precursor chemicals used in the
    production of methamphetamines that transit through Dutch
    air- and seaports from India and China, destined for
    laboratories in Mexico and ultimately into the United States.
    Walters added that the United States still considers further
    reductions in the flow of South American cocaine and heroin
    into the United States as a top priority. Because of Dutch
    interests in the region, Director Walters suggested that the
    Dutch and the United States could further cooperate in this
    area.

    ¶7. (SBU) Both Hoogervorst and Donner noted that the Dutch
    are working cooperatively with countries around the world to
    reduce international drug trafficking. Health Minister
    Hoogervorst noted that he had recently returned from a
    four-day visit to Colombia and he was impressed by the
    Colombians commitment to drug eradication, adding that their
    political survival depended on it. He said that domestic
    consumption is a serious problem for the Colombians as well.
    Justice Minister Donner noted that he also had visited
    Colombia last August, and he was favorably impressed with the
    Colombians anti-drug efforts. He noted a disturbing trend in
    the smuggling of cocaine into Europe from Venezuelan ports,

    THE HAGUE 00000814 003 OF 004

    but was optimistic about an agreement -- currently awaiting
    ratification -- with the Venezuelans to boost counter-drug
    cooperation; the Surnamese have also requested closer
    cooperation, especially on controlling transshipment of drugs
    via air travel. Donner was proud that inspections at
    Schiphol Airport of aircraft from the Netherlands Antilles
    and Suriname had virtually eliminated those distribution
    routes. He further noted that The Netherlands, Spain and
    France are working cooperatively on efforts to interdict
    cocaine coming into Europe by sea, especially in the Costa
    del Sol region.

    ¶8. (SBU) Donner conceded that progress in other areas of
    anti-drug efforts has been mixed. For example he mentioned
    that tremendous progress had been made in the GONL 5-year
    program to halt the sale, production, and distribution of
    Ecstasy. However, he explained that public opinion and tight
    resources would make it difficult to mount a systematic
    attack against indoor marijuana plantations. He acknowledged
    that such plantations are particularly prevalent in the
    Rotterdam area; police are employing imagery and heat-seeking
    technologies to unearth illegal marijuana growers. Donner
    added that drug tourism from Belgium, France and elsewhere
    is a serious problem, especially in border towns such as
    Maastricht. He supports the mayor of Maastricht's initiative
    to limit coffeehouses in his city to Dutch residents in an
    effort to curb the drug tourism and concomitant crime.

    ¶9. (SBU) Director Walters reiterated the U.S. commitment to
    the statement he and Hoogervorst signed in July 2005 on
    cooperative steps towards demand reduction and research into
    the causes and prevention of drug use. Walters noted that he
    would soon send an ONDCP staffer to meet with Dutch demand
    reduction experts to re-energize the initiative. He added
    that he hoped to have a new deputy onboard soon who is an
    expert in the field of demand reduction. Hoogervorst was
    pleased to hear that the statement would soon be getting
    greater attention on the U.S. side and welcomed the exchange
    among personnel. Walters indicated that he wanted to explore
    joint research opportunities, especially on the topic of
    long-term drug consumption. Hoogervorst provided the group
    with a readout on a study undertaken last fall on the effects
    of increasing levels of THC (psychoactive compound in
    marijuana) on humans. He noted that the bottom line of the
    study was obvious, if you smoke marijuana that is twice as
    strong, you get twice as stoned. Health Ministry senior
    advisor, Marcel de Kort added that the study found that there
    were no additional side effects from increasing the levels of
    THC in the marijuana that the participants took, simply a
    greater intensity of symptoms such as increased blood
    pressure and drowsiness. Because the sample size only
    included 24 male subjects, it is impossible to draw
    meaningful conclusions from this one study.

    ¶10. (SBU) Walters also met with MFA Director General for
    Political Affairs Hugo Siblesz. Siblesz was accompanied by
    Marion Kappeyne van de Coppello, Director Western Hemisphere,
    (WHA); and senior advisors Walter Lok and Alexandra
    Valkenburg. The foreign ministry was keen to hear Walters'
    readout from his trip to Afghanistan. Walters noted that
    poppy production is not a cash cow for the average Afghan
    farmer and that strides were being made to bring
    infrastructure and utilities to rural areas to make other
    crops viable alternatives. He added that a military presence
    alone will not work and that the Karzai government was
    showing signs that it was expanding its control outside of
    the capital. In most areas, Afghan forces are leading
    counter-drug operations with the United States in back-up or
    support roles. Siblesz noted that Foreign Minister Bot will
    travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan in early May to assess the
    situation first hand.

    ¶11. (SBU) With regard to anti-drug efforts in other parts of
    the world, Siblesz commented that efforts are up, but so are
    the problems. Kappeyne van de Coppello provided Walters
    with a readout of Dutch anti-drug initiatives in the
    Caribbean and South America. She noted that GONL is closely
    cooperating with the UK, France and Spain and wants the
    European Commission to step up its financial commitments to
    counter-drug efforts in the region. (Comment: The Dutch
    hosted a one-day conference on enhancing EU anti-drug
    cooperation in the Caribbean on February 9. End Comment.)
    In particular, the MFA is interested in exploring and

    THE HAGUE 00000814 004 OF 004

    eliminating the alliances between drug traffickers, organized
    crime groups and abusers of human rights. Kappeyne van de
    Coppello added however, that the Dutch respect the fact that
    countries such as Bolivia seek to preserve their traditional
    uses of coca, but La Paz is virtually powerless to do
    anything about overproduction. Director Walters noted that
    because Bolivian cocaine is of such a poor quality, little of
    it makes it to US shores and it is a bigger problem for
    Europe. Kappeyne van de Coppello also noted that the Dutch
    have an ongoing project with the Peruvians to help them
    identify suspect shipping containers that may contain
    contraband. She said that the Surnamese Minister of Justice
    was doing an excellent job at counternarcotics control with
    few resources. She concluded that the Netherlands Antilles,
    particularly Aruba, remain a primary focus for Dutch
    anti-drug efforts.

    ¶12. (SBU) Comment: Walters had wide-ranging and open
    discussions about a variety of drug-related issues with his
    Dutch counterparts. He complimented the Dutch on areas where
    substantial progress had been made, especially in the
    decrease of Ecstasy coming into the United States from The
    Netherlands, and he made commitments to continue the positive
    bilateral efforts currently underway. For their part, the
    Dutch were pleased with the US-Dutch working relations on
    drug policy and law enforcement efforts currently underway.
    ARNALL

`