US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB2487

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 002487 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE (KABUMOTO) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, HR, Political Parties/Elections 
SUBJECT: SANADER'S HDZ REACHING OUT EARLY TO IMPROVE 
CROATIA'S RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM PATRICK S. MOON FOR REASON 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) MIOMIR ZUZUL, CERTAIN TO BE HDZ'S NOMINEE AS 
CROATIA'S NEXT FOREIGN MINISTER, TOLD THE AMBASSADOR ON 
    NOVEMBER 24 THAT THE HDZ IS SEEKING TO FORM A COALITION WITH 
THE CROATIAN PEASANTS' PARTY (HSS) AND THE ETHNIC SERB PARTY 
TO AVOID HAVING TO BRING THE EXTREME RIGHT-WING CROATIAN 
PARTY OF RIGHTS (HSP) INTO GOVERNMENT.  AN HDZ GOVERNMENT 
WOULD BE PREPARED TO SIGN AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT AND WOULD 
SUPPORT DEPLOYING CROATIAN TROOPS TO JOIN COALITION FORCES IN 
IRAQ.  THE AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATED THE HDZ ON ITS WIN AND 
COMMENDED VOTERS' EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATION INTO 
EURO-ATLANTIC INSTITUTIONS.  HE PRAISED THE HDZ'S CAMPAIGN 
STATEMENTS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH WAR LEGACY ISSUES, 
INCLUDING ICTY.  THE AMBASSADOR SAID THE U.S. WOULD MAKE 
JUDGMENTS BASED ON THE NEW  GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS, NOT ITS 
STATEMENTS.  ZUZUL LOOKED FORWARD TO A SERIES OF REGULAR 
CONSULTATIONS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) ON NOVEMBER 24, THE AMBASSADOR PHONED HDZ PRESIDENT 
IVO SANADER TO CONGRATULATE HIM FOR HIS PARTY'S STRONG 
SHOWING IN THE NOVEMBER 23 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.  SANADER 
WAS QUICK TO RETURN THE CALL, AND ASKED THAT THE AMBASSADOR 
MEET RIGHT AWAY WITH MIOMIR ZUZUL, WHO WOULD BE THE HDZ'S 
NOMINEE AS CROATIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER.  THE AMBASSADOR 
AGREED, AND MET WITH ZUZUL ONE-ON-ONE ON THE EVENING OF 
NOVEMBER 24. 
 
3.  (C) ZUZUL WAS CLEARLY PLEASED WITH THE HDZ'S RESULT, BUT 
WAS QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT THE HDZ IS STILL WORKING ON 
PUTTING TOGETHER A COALITION WITH ENOUGH VOTES TO SEAT A 
GOVERNMENT.  HE TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE HDZ'S FIRST 
CHOICE IS TO GIVE THE HSS A CHANCE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT.  THE 
HDZ WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A GENEROUS OFFER TO THE HSS, 
ZUZUL EXPLAINED, IN ORDER TO FORM A GOVERNMENT WITHOUT THE 
    HSP.  (NOTE: ZUZUL KNOWS WELL THAT THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY WOULD BE HESITANT TO ENGAGE WITH THE NATIONALIST 
HSP.  END NOTE.)  DESPITE THE HSS' POOR SHOWING IN THE POLLS, 
THE HDZ WOULD BE WILLING TO OFFER HSS PRESIDENT TOMCIC THE 
CHANCE TO RETURN AS SPEAKER OF CROATIA'S PARLIAMENT (A POST 
HE HELD FOR THE DURATION OF THE RACAN GOVERNMENT).  FAILING 
THAT, THE HDZ WILL OFFER TOMCIC A SPOT AS DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER OR PERHAPS ONE OR MORE "NON-KEY" MINISTRIES IN THE 
NEXT GOVERNMENT. 
 
4.  (C) ZUZUL SAID THAT THE HDZ WOULD SEEK THE SUPPORT OF 
CROATIA'S ETHNIC SERB PARTY, WHICH, THANKS TO CROATIA'S 
PROGRESSIVE NEW CONSTITUTIONAL LAW ON NATIONAL MINORITIES, 
NOW HAS THREE SEATS IN THE PARLIAMENT.  THE HDZ WOULD BE 
WILLING TO OFFER THE SDSS A POSITION AS DEPUTY SPEAKER, SAID 
ZUZUL, WHICH WOULD BE A STRONG SIGNAL OF THE SANADER 
GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO MOVE FORWARD ON REFUGEE ISSUES. 
 
5.  (C) ZUZUL SAID THAT RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. WILL BE A 
PRIORITY FOR THE SANADER GOVERNMENT.  THE HDZ WOULD SUPPORT 
SIGNING AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT AND WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH 
DEPLOYING A CROATIAN CONTINGENT OF TROOPS TO JOIN COALITION 
FORCES IN IRAQ.  ONCE THE COALITION IS LOCKED IN PLACE, BUT 
BEFORE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT, SANADER PLANS TO 
TRAVEL TO ROME (WHERE HE WOULD SEEK A MEETING WITH PM 
BERLUSCONI AND AN AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE) AND ALSO TO 
WASHINGTON TO DESCRIBE HIS NEW GOVERNMENT'S PLANS.  ZUZUL 
SAID SANADER WOULD HOPE FOR A MEETING IN WASHINGTON WITH 
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER DR. RICE. 
 
6.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR THANKED ZUZUL FOR HIS OPENNESS AND HIS 
    READINESS TO MEET WITH US ON A REGULAR BASIS; THE U.S. 
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CROATIA HAS BECOME MUCH MORE 
BROAD IN THE NEARLY FOUR YEARS SINCE THE HDZ WAS LAST IN 
GOVERNMENT.  THE AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATED THE HDZ ON ITS 
STRONG SHOWING IN THE POLLS AND POINTED OUT THAT ELECTION 
RESULTS SHOWED THAT VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY BACKED PARTIES 
WHICH SUPPORT CROATIA'S INTEGRATION INTO EURO-ATLANTIC 
INSTITUTIONS.  THE AMBASSADOR URGED THE HDZ TO CAPITALIZE ON 
ITS STRONG MANDATE AND MOVE FORWARD ON THE TOUGHEST ISSUES, 
LIKE ICTY COOPERATION AND REFUGEE RETURN, EARLY IN ITS 
TENURE.  HE WELCOMED SANADER'S PROGRESSIVE STATEMENTS DURING 
THE CAMPAIGN, BUT WARNED THAT THE USG WOULD MAKE JUDGMENTS 
BASED ONLY ON POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. 
 
7.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED IT WOULD BE EASIER TO 
ADVOCATE FOR SENIOR-LEVEL MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON ONCE SANADER 
HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN OFFICE AND HAD A POSITIVE TRACK RECORD. 
FRANK 
 
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