International

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel has asked Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen to insist to President Obama that US nuclear weapons be removed from the Netherlands. According to Van Bommel, the SP's foreign affairs spokesman, Verhagen should be following the example set by German Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "Steinmeier has stated that American nuclear weapons must be removed from Germany," says Van Bommel. "Verhagen must offer his support for this and, in addition, put the stationing of nuclear weapons on F-16 war planes in Volkel, in our country, on the agenda of negotiations."

President Obama announced last weekend that new negotiations on nuclear weapons must be held with Russia. “I'm pleased with the opening which Obama has offered Russia," says Van Bommel. "The SP sees this as a positive development, but the Netherlands could also be doing something here, in that we could put an end to the stationing of nuclear weapons in Volkel.”