US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB2646

S E C R E T ZAGREB 002646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PRA (CORDOVA) AND EUR/SCE (KABUMOTO) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2013 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, PINR, LY, HR, PASS 
SUBJECT: CROATIA DEFERS DECISION TO REFIT LIBYAN NAVAL VESSEL "AL MUNYED" 
 
REF: A. ZAGREB 2504 
 
     B. STATE 331261 (NOTAL) 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (S) ON DECEMBER 4, WE DELIVERED REF B POINTS TO SENIOR 
OFFICIALS AT CROATIA'S DEFENSE AND FOREIGN MINISTRIES AND TO 
ADVISERS IN PRESIDENT MESIC'S OFFICE, UNDERSCORING THAT 
REFITTING THE DIVER SUPPORT VESSEL WOULD ADD TO LIBYA'S 
MILITARY CAPABILITIES AND COULD INCREASE LIBYA'S ABILITY TO 
SUPPORT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.  ON DECEMBER 16 -- AFTER 
SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS WITH APPROPRIATE SENIOR GOC 
OFFICIALS -- WE LEARNED THAT OUTGOING DEFENSE MINISTER ZELJKA 
ANTUNOVIC WOULD INSTEAD STICK TO HER DECISION LAST YEAR NOT 
TO PERMIT THE "AL MUNYED" ENTRY INTO CROATIAN WATERS. 
 
2.  (S) ON DECEMBER 17, DCM FOLLOWED UP AGAIN WITH IVICA 
MASTRUKO, MESIC'S SENIOR FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER.  MASTRUKO 
CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD REPORTED OUR CONCERNS TO THE PRESIDENT 
AND WARNED THAT A DECISION TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE REFIT OF 
THE "AL MUNYED" COULD HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR 
CROATIA'S BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S.  ALTHOUGH 
NON-COMMITAL ON MESIC'S POSITION, MASTRUKO SAID THAT THE 
PRESIDENT WOULD SEEK A MEETING EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE 
NEW HDZ GOVERNMENT (ONCE IT TAKES OFFICE) TO DISCUSS A NUMBER 
OF CRITICAL FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES, INCLUDING RELATIONS WITH 
LIBYA. 
FRANK 

 
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