THE HAGUE, 18/09/08 - All the ministries presented their budgets for 2009 Tuesday. NIS News Bulletin is giving special attention today to the foreign ministry budget.

Total spending on international cooperation (HGIS) is budgeted at 6.9 billion euros in 2009, of which 5.2 billion is for development cooperation (0.8 percent of GNP). HGIS, introduced on 1 January 1997, is a separate budgetary construction within the central government budget, in which the foreign activities of various departments are combined.

Within HGIS, a distinction is made between expenditure that meets the criteria for official development cooperation (Official Development Assistance, ODA) and other expenditure on international policy (non-ODA). The Foreign Minister is coordinator of HGIS.

The foreign ministry has formulated 10 goals. The first six are described below, as far as possible in the original wording of the government.

GOAL 1: "A Europe with a strong basis that concentrates on territory where it yields added-value and does not embark on territory where member states can arrange things better themselves"

Europe must find answers to questions that cross the national borders, but at the same time must not occupy itself with matters that can better be arranged at local, regional or national level, such as the content of education, the pension system or spatial planning.

The Netherlands wants speedy ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by all member states, a healthy EU budget and common agricultural policy, speedy adoption of the EU legislative package in the area of climate and energy and strengthening of the common foreign and development aid policy.

Also priorities are further proposals for asylum and migration policies, and in the area of police and judicial cooperation. Additionally, the Netherlands wants an ambitious budget evaluation with an open debate on all EU expenditure and income.

For the credibility of the Union, it is important that the EU member states comply with the agreements on raising ODA from the EU to 0.7 percent of GNP in 2015.

GOAL 2: "A Europe that takes seriously and applies strictly its own criteria for enlargement"

The enlargement of the EU by 10 countries in 2004 has to a large degree benefited stability and security in Europe, and the current paths in the Balkans and Turkey could produce a similar effect.

The Netherlands supports the continuing of the enlargement strategy adopted by the European Council of December 2006 and reconfirmed by the European Council of December 2007. This means that both the EU and the member state must comply with agreements made in good faith. The Netherlands will adopt a 'strict but fair' position here.

In the case of Serbia, the Netherlands first wants full cooperation by that country with the Yugoslavia Tribunal in The Hague.

Countries primarily determine the pace of the process themselves by meeting the criteria of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Implementation of these is a condition for applying for candidate membership.

The present candidate member-states should only receive a date for accession at the stage of conclusion of the accession negotiations.

The negotiations with Turkey must be continued, and Turkey must thereby be addressed about implementation of the Ankara Protocol. Additionally, initiatives for solving the Cyprus question will be supported where possible.

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is an important instrument for relations with the eastern and southern neighbouring countries of the EU. It must remain clear here that the ENP is no entranceway to EU membership.

The Netherlands is positive on holding talks with, for example, Ukraine on deepening and strengthening relations with the EU within the ENP framework. The Netherlands also supports Israel's ambitions of strengthening relations with the Union. Morocco is also a country with which the Union is strengthening relations within the framework of an 'advanced statute'.

The deepening and widening of relations with ENP countries could constitute selective adoption of EU acquis (principles and laws) in the economic area, participation in community programmes and agencies, deep and comprehensive free-trade accords - after WTO accession - and the possibility of association with community foreign and security policy statements of the EU.

The Netherlands will strive for the strengthening of EU-Russia policy. Where and in what way the Union can develop its relations with Russia will form the subject for further deep-going discussion this autumn. The Netherlands will on the one hand stick to the need for Russia to adhere to European and international law obligations and principles as well as on the other, the need to remain in constructive engagement and discussion with this country, with which Europe is in many ways politically, culturally and economically linked.

GOAL 3: "Bringing a solution to the conflicts in the Middle East closer"

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is central in the Middle East. A permanent solution requires that Israel is offered security behind recognised boundaries, while the Palestinians at the same time get an independent, viable and democratic state.

The Netherlands has good relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Within the framework of these relations, ministerial and top-level civil servant visits will also regularly be arranged in 2009.

Regional tensions and instability in the Middle East also have a negative effect on political and economic interest of the Netherlands. The Middle East houses two-thirds of the world's oil and gas reserves and there are scores of connections with the Islamic community in the Netherlands.

To improve relations between the West and the Islamic world, more work will be done with public diplomacy and intercultural dialogue. But the stimulating of developments in the Islamic world itself can also contribute to improved relations.

GOAL 4: "A modern army that can deliver specific contributions worldwide to crisis management operations and to building up security organisations"

The ISAF operation in Afghanistan will again be by far the biggest and most high-risk crisis management operation to which the Netherlands contributes in 2009. Implementation of the Afghan National Development Strategy is the priority, whereby there will be a greater coordinating role for the UN in the area of (re)construction and administrative support.

Within ISAF and the EU police mission, efforts will also be made for accelerated "Afghanisation" of the security structures. The Netherlands will also strive for a more emphatic civil profile for the international presence.

In connection with the extension of the mission in Uruzgan, the HGIS provision for carrying out crisis management operations in the defence ministry's budget has been raised by 112 million euros in 2008, 78 million in 2009 and 50 million in 2010. This is on top of the raising of this provision from the coalition accord of 2007 by a total of 250 million euros for the 2008-2011 period.

Until 15 March 2009, the Netherlands is contributing to the European mission in Chad.

GOAL 5: "Increasing the cohesion and effectiveness of security and development policy"

The budget for reconstruction will be 299 million euros in 2009, for activities in Sudan, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories, among other places. As well, various projects will be financed from the Stability Fund, which will have an annual budget of 87 million euros in 2009 and subsequent years: 59 million ODA and 28 million non-ODA.

GOAL 6: "Fostering sustainable economic development and forcefully continuing fighting poverty and developing this policy via 'The Millennium Development Goals Closer' project"

Result-orientation regarding the MDGs must not lead to a choice of only those countries that are successful in reaching their development goals. This is why the government has decided to also support the fragile countries of Afghanistan, Burundi, Colombia, DRC, Guatemala, Kosovo, the Palestinian territories, Pakistan and Sudan in 2009, as part of its list of partner countries.

As well as a new emphasis on sustainable growth and private sector development, it is important to bridge the gulf between rich and poor, both between and within countries. Structural investments in sustainable agricultural development and in rural economies in developing countries are needed.

From 1 January 2009, the programme for Development-relevant Export Transactions (ORET) will be replaced by Development-relevant Infrastructure Development (ORIO). The adapted scheme will focus more strongly than the previous one on the development of public infrastructure in developing countries that contributes to attaining the MDGs and pro-poor economic growth.

For sustainable energy in developing countries, substantially more funds have been earmarked (50 million in 2008; 100 million in 2009; 150 million in 2010 en 200 million in 2011), specifically for the benefit of Africa.

GOAL 7: "A balanced and clear-cut effort on behalf of human rights throughout the world"

GOAL 8: "Actively contributing to the creation of new ambitious international climate targets for after 2012"

GOAL 9: "Better services for Dutch citizens and companies abroad"

GOAL 10: "Better services for international organisations and foreign companies basing themselves in the Netherlands"