Advertise On EU-Digest

Annual Advertising Rates

12/19/06

IHT: New adviser to steer talks on forming new center-left Dutch government


For the complete report in the International Herald Tribune click on this link

New adviser to steer talks on forming new center-left Dutch government

THE HAGUE, Netherlands: A senior World Bank official has been selected to steer talks between three parties expected to hammer out policy for a new center-left ruling coalition.

After a parliamentary debate on the progress of Cabinet formation negotiations, Herman Wijffels, a Dutch executive director of the World Bank, was expected to be formally appointed by Queen Beatrix as mediator to help draft a policy package acceptable to the three parties that won most seats in elections Nov. 22. The debate could take place as early as Tuesday afternoon. Coalition negotiations are expected to take weeks.

Hein Jan Hoekstra, who held preliminary talks with the leaders of all the parties which won seats, told Queen Beatrix late Monday that the most likely coalition would be made up of the Christian Democrats, Labor and Christian Union and that Wijffels should lead negotiations.

No comments: