VZCZCXRO7469
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTC #0300 0881414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281414Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1304
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0111
RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM 3936
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000300
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PRM/ANE (ANUTZMAN) AND EUR/WE (TSMITH)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID PHUM PREL NL IZ
SUBJECT: DUTCH GOVERNMENT INCREASING ASSISTANCE TO IRAQI
REFUGEES IN 2008
REF: STATE 30028
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY
1. (SBU) Emboffs delivered reftel demarche to Foreign
Ministry officials Dirk Jan Wierenga (Iraq desk) and Nelly
Blokker (Humanitarian Aid Division). Wierenga stated that
the Dutch government and parliament share U.S. concerns for
the humanitarian situation of Iraqi refugees and internally
displaced persons (IDPs), and has called on the European
Commission and EU member states to provide support.
2. (SBU) The Dutch government is allocating EUR 8 million in
direct assistance to Iraqi refugees and IDPs in 2008,
doubling its 2007 funding of EUR 4 million. Of this total,
EUR 6 million has been earmarked by parliament to assist IDPs
in northern Iraq. The remaining EUR 2 million will assist
Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan; the Dutch government is
still deciding through which channels to disburse this
tranche.
3. (SBU) In addition to this direct funding, the Dutch
government makes annual, non-earmarked contributions to
international organizations that are active in assisting
Iraqi refugees and IDPs. For example, the Dutch government
has budgeted EUR 40 million in 2008 for the Central Emegency
Response Fund (CERF) of the UN,and EUR 25 million for the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) -- out of a
total 2008 humanitarian aid budget of around EUR 200 million.
Gallagher