AMSTERDAM, May 27 (Reuters) – The Netherlands will send a minesweeper to the Mediterranean Sea as part of NATO operations to allow a possible rapid deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, should a mission there be agreed once the Iran war ends, ministers said on Wednesday in a letter to parliament.
• The minesweeper, departing this week, will be able to contribute to the NATO standing mine countermeasures group from mid-June, the letter from defence minister Dilan Yesligoz and foreign minister Tom Berendsen said.
• They said preparations were under way for a possible Dutch role in ensuring safe shipping routes in the Gulf region.
• NATO chief Mark Rutte has said several countries are “pre-positioning” logistical and other support such as minehunters and minesweepers near the Gulf to be ready for any possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global waterway for oil and gas transport.
• One option for the Dutch could be to deploy a combined team for search, diving and explosive ordnance disposal.
• The letter also said the Netherlands was assessing whether it could contribute staff capacity to any international coalition involved in the mission.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Alison Williams)
