US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB265

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000265 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EUR/SCE-KABUMOTO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, HR, USUN 
SUBJECT: CROATIA CANDIDATE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL 
ELECTIONS FOR 2008-2009 
 
1.  CROATIA PLANS TO RUN FOR A SEAT ON THE UN SECURITY 
COUNCIL FOR THE PERIOD 2008-2009.  ON FEBRUARY 5, ACTING HEAD 
OF THE MFA'S AMERICAS DEPARTMENT, ANDREA BEKIC, HANDED US A 
    DIPLOMATIC NOTE ANNOUNCING THE GOC'S INTENTIONS.  BEKIC SAID 
CROATIA WOULD APPRECIATE U.S. SUPPORT.  WE TOLD HER WE WOULD 
PASS THE NOTE TO THE DEPARTMENT (EUR/SCE). 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
NO: 747/04 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA 
PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA IN ZAGREB AND HAS THE HONOUR TO PRESENT THE 
CANDIDATURE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR THE NON-PERMANENT 
SEAT TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE 
PERIOD 2008-2009 AT ELECTIONS TO BE HELD DURING THE 62ND 
SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN 2007 
IN NEW YORK. 
 
CROATIA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE UN PRINCIPLES OF EQUITABLE 
REPRESENTATION OF REGIONS AND ROTATION IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. IN THIS RESPECT AND CONSIDERING 
THE FACT THAT CROATIA HAS NEVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE SECURITY 
COUNCIL, THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA WOULD HIGHLY APPRECIATE IF 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WOULD RENDER ITS VALUABLE 
SUPPORT FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED CANDIDATURE. 
 
TO DATE, CROATIA HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COUNCIL (ECOSOC) AND SERVED ON EIGHT OF ITS FUNCTIONAL 
COMMISSIONS, CULMINATING IN THE PRESIDENCY OF ECOSOC IN 2002. 
MINDFUL THAT PEACE AND SECURITY ARE PREREQUISITES FOR 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROSPERITY, CROATIA WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN 
ENGAGED WITH AND RESPONSIVE TO CURRENT CONCERNS ON REFORMING 
    THE UN SYSTEM, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A STRONGER AND MORE 
EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. 
 
GIVEN THE SECURITY COUNCIL,S PRIMARY ROLE IN THE MAINTENANCE 
OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY, A CENTRAL TENET OF 
CROATIA,S CANDIDATURE FOR SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP IS ITS 
WISH TO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE UN SYSTEM OF COLLECTIVE 
SECURITY IN EFFECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT WAY, AS EMBODIED IN THE 
CHARTER AND RE-ALIGNED WITH THE MILLENNIUM DECLARATION. 
CROATIA GAINED IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE IN POST-WAR RECOVERY, 
POST-CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING. CROATIA 
CONTINUES TO ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO CONFLICT PREVENTION 
AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACTIVITIES, AND TAKES AN ACTIVE PART 
IN A NUMBER OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. IN ITS ROLE OF THE 
PROMOTER OF REGIONAL AND EUROPEAN SECURITY, CROATIA STANDS 
DETERMINED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PEACE EFFORTS AND A 
STRENGTHENED UN ROLE ON A REGIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL. 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA 
AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE EMBASSY OF 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN ZAGREB THE ASSURANCES OF ITS 
HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. 
END TEXT. 
 
FRANK 

 
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