This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002597 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/WCI FOR PROSPER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL KAWC LI NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH PUSH FOR TAYLOR TO FACE SPECIAL COURT FOR 
SIERRA LEONE 
 
REF: A. RICHARD-WITMER EMAIL 10/9 
 
     B....




11329

2003-10-10

03THEHAGUE2597

Embassy The Hague

CONFIDENTIAL



C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002597 

SIPDIS 

S/WCI FOR PROSPER 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL KAWC LI NL
SUBJECT: DUTCH PUSH FOR TAYLOR TO FACE SPECIAL COURT FOR 
SIERRA LEONE 

REF: A. RICHARD-WITMER EMAIL 10/9 

¶B. WITMER-HOLLIDAY EMAILS 9-22 THRU 10-7 

Classified By: PolCouns Mary E. Daly reasons 1.5 (b) 

¶1. (C) Dutch Prime Minister Jan Balkenende approached 
Nigerian President Obasanjo on the margins of the UNGA in New 
York. The GoNL strongly maintains that former Liberian 
President Charles Taylor must face his indictment at the 
Special Court for Sierra Leone, and Balkenende encouraged 
Obasanjo to address this issue. MFA contacts reported to 
PolOff that Obasanjo acknowledged that he agrees Taylor 
should eventually face the Court. However, the Nigerian 
President stated that action now to force Taylor to do so 
could negatively impede the peace process in Liberia. 
Obasanjo wants to wait to address this issue until the peace 
process has a chance to get off the ground. 

¶2. (C) Dutch MFA Deputy Head for West Africa Roel van der 
Veen interpreted Obasanjo's comments as a positive. The GoNL 
previously had concerns that Nigeria would oppose Taylor's 
need to face his indictment due to his asylum deal, and were 
pleased to hear otherwise. Appreciative of Obasanjo's 
viewpoint, the Dutch plan to wait one to two months to 
allow the peace process to develop. Following such a period, 
Van der Veen expects that the GoNL will ask the EU to 
approach Nigeria formally to request action. 

¶3. (C) Note: The Dutch have brought up Taylor's court 
indictment at several EU Africa working group meetings since 
Taylor's departure from Liberia. The GoNL has been 
disheartened by the lack of interest from fellow member 
states. Van der Veen reports that the GoNL will not let 
Taylor's indictment be forgotten. He does not expect any 
other member state to broach this issue in the following 
months; however, the GoNL will not block EU action in the 
upcoming months if proposed by another member state. End 
note. 
SOBEL