US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB543

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000543 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE (KABUMOTO) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR, PGOV, PREL, HR 
SUBJECT: NEW HDZ AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON 
 
 
1.  (SBU) CROATIA'S NEXT AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. WILL LIKELY 
    BE NEVEN JURICA, CURRENTLY CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMENT'S 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.  NEWS OF JURICA'S LIKELY 
APPOINTMENT WAS LEAKED TO THE PRESS ON MARCH 28, AFTER HIS 
CANDIDACY HAD BEEN APPROVED BY WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A 
CONFIDENTIAL HEARING IN THE PARLIAMENT.  WHEN WE MET WITH HIM 
 
SIPDIS 
ON MARCH 30 TO DISCUSS OTHER MATTERS, JURICA CONFIRMED HIS 
NOMINATION AND EXPRESSED EMBARRASSMENT AT ITS BEING MADE 
PUBLIC BEFORE RECEIVING AGREMENT.  JURICA SAID THAT IF HIS 
APPOINTMENT IS APPROVED BY PRESIDENT MESIC AND BY THE USG, HE 
WOULD HOPE TO BE IN PLACE IN WASHINGTON BY JUNE 2004. 
 
2.  (SBU) JURICA WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF THE HDZ 
AND IS ONE OF ONLY TWO SUCH FOUNDERS WHO REMAIN INFLUENTIAL 
IN FORMING PARTY POLICY.  A CLOSE ASSOCIATE OF PARTY 
PRESIDENT (NOW PM) IVO SANADER THROUGHOUT SANADER'S 
SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE HDZ, JURICA WAS 
"POLITICAL SECRETARY" OF THE PARTY THROUGHOUT THE 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION CAMPAIGN.  HIS TASK WAS TO KEEP 
LOWER-LEVEL CANDIDATES "ON MESSAGE" AND HIS WORK WAS AN 
IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE HDZ'S ELECTION VICTORY.  WHILE JURICA 
IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE VERY SMALL CIRCLE OF SANADER'S CLOSEST 
ADVISERS, HE HAS DIRECT ACCESS TO BOTH THE PM AND FM ZUZUL. 
 
3.  (SBU) DURING THE TUDJMAN ERA, JURICA SERVED AS CROATIA'S 
AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA, BULGARIA AND NORWAY AND SERVED A 
BRIEF STINT AS THE GOVERNMENT'S SPOKESMAN.  CROATIA'S PRESS 
IS REPORTING THAT HIS ASSIGNMENTS TO CANBERRA AND OSLO WERE 
TAINTED BY FINANCIAL "SCANDALS."  DIASPORA GROUPS IN 
AUSTRALIA COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COST OF BUILDING CROATIA'S 
CHANCERY, AND THE RACAN GOVERNMENT USED REPORTS THAT JURICA 
OVERSPENT HIS REPRESENTATIONAL ACCOUNT AS A PRETEXT TO RECALL 
    HIM FROM NORWAY.  AS SPOKESMAN OF THE TUDJMAN GOVERNMENT, 
JURICA OBJECTED TO THE 1998 U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT'S 
CRITICISM OF CROATIA'S POOR RECORD UNDER TUDJMAN. 
 
4.  (U) NOW THAT JURICA'S APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY 
THE PARLIAMENT, FM ZUZUL WILL SEND IT TO PRESIDENT MESIC FOR 
CONCURRENCE.  SHOULD MESIC AGREE (AND HE HAS TOLD THE PRESS 
THAT HE WILL), THE MFA WILL INSTRUCT THE CROATIAN EMBASSY IN 
WASHINGTON TO SEEK AGREMENT FROM THE USG. 
FRANK 
 
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