Oduber still met with Nicolai: To be a Fly on the Wall in that Meeting between Aruba & The Netherlands

As reported yesterday, All is not well in paradise between Aruba and the Netherlands, however, Aruban Prime Minister Nelson Oduber and Dutch minister of Kingdom Relations Atzo Nicolaà ¯ will meet after all.

The Dutch minister of Kingdom Relations Atzo Nicolaà ¯ (VVD) visits Aruba today.  Despite all the tension between the Netherlands and Aruba, a meeting with amongst others premier Nelson Oduber (MEP) was on the agenda.  “It took a lot of effort, but I am pleased that the two are talking again:, said Rens Knecht, Representative of the Netherlands in Aruba.

The tension stems from the fact that The Netherlands has asked that an Aruban loan for 50 million dollars from the Deutsche Bank be conditional. With the state of the Aruban tourism and their economy, who wouldn’t ask for conditions.

However, the bank has refused to give the loan after the Netherlands had lodged an objection.  The Netherlands wants the conditions in article 29 of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands to apply for all loans that Aruba takes.  At this moment, those conditions only apply to loans taken outside the Kingdom.

Full story from Amigoe, October 24, 2006: Oduber still met with Nicolai 

ARUBA – The Dutch minister of Kingdom Relations Atzo Nicolaà ¯ (VVD) visits Aruba today.  Despite all the tension between the Netherlands and Aruba, a meeting with amongst others premier Nelson Oduber (MEP) was on the agenda.  “It took a lot of effort, but I am pleased that the two are talking again:, said Rens Knecht, Representative of the Netherlands in Aruba.   

Oduber indicated last week that if the Netherlands does not change her position regarding the financial borrowing of Aruba, there is no need for Nicolai to come again to Aruba.  However, the two met and talked this afternoon. Also minister Nilo Swaen (MEP) of Finance and Economic Affairs took part in the conversations.

Nicolaà ¯ met with Governor Fredis Refunjol before he met with Oduber.  Depending on the results of the conversation with premier Oduber, Nicolai will go back to Curacao this evening.  The relation between the Netherlands and Aruba is on edge, since Aruba wanted to borrow 50 million dollars from the Deutsche Bank.  However, the bank has refused to give the loan after the Netherlands had lodged an objection.  The Netherlands wants the conditions in article 29 of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands to apply for all loans that Aruba takes.  At this moment, those conditions only apply to loans taken outside the Kingdom.  Oduber stopped all negotiations due to the Netherlands’s position; also the negotiations about more collaboration between the kingdom islands after the Neth.Antilles disintegrate.