THE HAGUE - “All countries within our kingdom are obliged to implement the sanctions adopted by the EU,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra in response to written questions from the MP Kamminga and Brekelmans, both of the Dutch VVD party.
The reason for the questions was the message that France has seized a yacht of a Russian oligarch that appeared on the sanction list. This yacht was in the waters of French Sint Maarten. The rumor did the round that there would also be yachts owned by Russians in the waters of Dutch Sint Maarten. Hoekstra says that this is not the case. "We are in contact with all countries within the Kingdom in terms of the implementation of EU sanctions policy, according to the minister.
Minister Hoekstra says that he is familiar with a news article about super yachts of rich Russians seized by France and Germany. The Minister indicates that in the Caribbean region there are several ships from Russian owners, part of them regularly remains regularly in the waters of Sint Maarten.
To the question if he shares the opinion that in view of the current situation in Ukraine and the stated sanctions against Russia that this is undesirable and must be considered whether they can be seized, the minister answers that all countries within the Dutch kingdom are obliged to implement the sanctions adopted by the EU. “If vessels of owners, which appear on the EU sanction list for individuals, are located in the waters of Sint Maarten (or other parts of the Kingdom), they will take action to this end. This is not the case at the moment.”
The minister says that he has been in contact with all countries within the Kingdom in terms of the implementation of EU sanctions policy, including the government and official services of Sint Maarten.
To the question whether the minister has been in contact with the French authorities about the yachts that were seized in their waters, Hoekstra says that the Netherlands is constantly in close contact with partners inside and outside the EU about the war in Ukraine. They also discuss the coordinated sanctions against Russia. In addition, it is the responsibility and competence of each Member State separately to implement and maintain sanctions.
The Dutch MPs also asked the minister to explain why a number of countries, including France and Germany, have already taken action and Sint Maarten not yet. Hoekstra indicated that the action by France and the unconfirmed action by Germany against vessels of owners who appear on the EU sanction list for individuals, which are in their respective waters, stem from the sanctions that have been established by the EU.
The MPs also asked if the minister agrees that within the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands they have to do everything to carry out the set sanctions and to make the pressure on Russia as great as possible. “If so, how does the cabinet act in collaboration with the Caribbean part of the Kingdom?”
The minister says he agrees with that. “That is also the reason that we closely monitor the situation in all countries of our kingdom and constantly maintain contact with the various authorities within the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.”