US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB2162

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 002162 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AC/CAC (PHELAN, YOUNG) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2013 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, HR 
SUBJECT: RACVIAC GOES ON, THANKFULLY WITHOUT US 
 
REF: STATE 269520 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1.  (U) THE U.S. IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE RACVIAC 
MULTINATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP (MAG).  AT THE SEPTEMBER 23-24 
    MAG MEETING IN ZAGREB, WE DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS OBJECTING 
TO THE COURSE LAID OUT IN 
 RACVIAC'S MID-TERM STRATEGY PAPER AND ANNOUNCING THE U.S. 
DEPARTURE FROM THE MAG WHILE "WISHING RACVIAC WELL."  THE 
MID-TERM STRATEGY WAS APPROVED, AS WAS THE 2004 COURSE 
PROGRAM WHICH DEPARTS SIGNIFICANTLY FROM RACVIAC'S 
TRADITIONAL ARMS-CONTROL-ONLY MENU OF OFFERINGS.  MAG MEMBERS 
ENDORSED THE DIRECTOR'S CALL FOR INCREASED AUTHORITY TO 
ADJUST COURSE OFFERINGS WITHOUT PRIOR MAG APPROVAL, BUT WERE 
HESITANT ABOUT GRANTING HIM THE AUTHORITY TO MANIPULATE THE 
BUDGET AT WILL. 
 
2.  (U) THE MAG CONGRATULATED ITSELF ON ITS SUCCESSFUL 
WEANING FROM TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON GERMANY FOR BUDGET SUPPORT. 
ALTHOUGH ONE-THIRD OF THE 900,000 EURO BUDGET WILL STILL COME 
FROM BERLIN, WITH SIGNIFICANT PLEDGES FROM FRANCE, NORWAY, 
ITALY AND -- THEORETICALLY -- TURKEY, RACVIAC IS FULLY FUNDED 
FOR 2004. 
 
3.  (C) THE MAG ENGAGED IN A PROTRACTED, DIVISIVE AND 
INCONCLUSIVE DEBATE ABOUT THE LEGAL STANDING OF SOME OF ITS 
FOUNDING DOCUMENTS.  THIS DEBATE ENVELOPED AN AGENDA ITEM 
REGARDING THE STATUS OF MAG OBSERVERS.  SOME MAG MEMBERS 
(INCLUDING AUSTRIA, HUNGARY AND TURKEY) EXPRESSED INTEREST IN 
BROADENING THE DEFINITION OF OBSERVER TO INCLUDE STATES WHO 
ARE NOT CONSIDERING MEMBERSHIP, BUT SIMPLY WISH TO KEEP 
INFORMED ABOUT RACVIAC ACTIVITIES AND CONSIDER MAKING 
CONTRIBUTIONS (POTENTIALLY THE U.S.).  BUT OTHERS, INCLUDING 
THE UK AND GERMANY, ARGUED THAT MAG OBSERVER STATUS SHOULD BE 
LIMITED TO STATES CONSIDERING MEMBERSHIP. WHEN AUSTRIA 
SUGGESTED THAT THE MAG ALTER ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE TO 
    BROADEN THE DEFINITION OF OBSERVERS, GERMANY IN PRACTICAL 
TERMS VETOED THE PROPOSAL BY CALLING INTO QUESTION THE LEGAL 
STANDING OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE THEMSELVES. 
 
4.  (C) NO CLEAR CONSENSUS WAS REACHED DURING THE MAG 
DISCUSSIONS, BUT RACVIAC DIRECTOR GENERAL PUCHER APPROACHED 
US AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE MAG AND SAID THAT REGARDLESS 
OF THE DISCUSSIONS, THEY WOULD SEEK TO DRAFT THE FORMAL MAG 
CONCLUSIONS IN A MANNER THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE U.S. TO GAIN 
OBSERVER STATUS.  HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT CROATIA WAS 
PARTICULARLY KEEN FOR THE U.S. TO CONTINUE TO PLAY SOME ROLE 
IN RACVIAC. 
 
COMMENT 
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5.  (U) RACVIAC WILL CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITHOUT THE U.S. AS 
A MAG MEMBER, AND CONSIDERING THE CONFUSION AT THIS LAST 
MEETING, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE GRATEFUL TO BE OUT OF IT. 
OBSERVER STATUS WOULD PROBABLY BE USEFUL, HOWEVER, SINCE 
RACVIAC FACILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES IN 
WHICH WE HAVE AN INTEREST, LIKE THE STABILITY PACT'S OCTOBER 
10 MEETING OF THE REGIONAL STEERING GROUP FOR THE CONTROL OF 
SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE. 
FRANK 
 
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