THE HAGUE, 06/02/01 - The leftwing Green (GroenLinks) party has withdrawn its appeal for a debate on the Zorreguieta question. Prime Minister Wim Kok said on Friday that before any engagement, a discussion would be held about the father of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander's girlfriend Maxima. This has cleared the air for the time being, as far as parliamentary leader Paul Rosenmoller is concerned.

Over the past few months, Kok has consistently stated that he will not talk about a public role for Jorge Zorreguieta until an official engagement between the crown prince and Maxima is imminent. The discussion gathered extra momentum last week when Maxima appeared in public in the company of the Royal family.

Rosenmoller said afterwards that he did not wish to be confronted with a fait accompli. The presence of Zorreguieta at his daughter's wedding is a controversial issue. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Zorreguieta took part in the dictatorial government of General Videla in Argentina.

Various surveys, including one held by newspaper De Telegraaf, have now shown that more than 60 percent of the Dutch population consider that Maxima's father may attend the wedding, should it take place. A 24 percent minority declared he should remain invisible. According to some 80 percent of the population, the crown prince does not need to relinquish his right to the throne if he marries Maxima.