US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB678

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, KNNP, MNUC, IZ, HR, Defense Reform (Mil & NATO) 
SUBJECT: CROATIA PROPOSES CONTRIBUTIONS FOR IRAQ, SEEKS 
FULL MEMBERSHIP IN PSI, WORKS WITH GERMANY ON AFGHANISTAN 
PRT CONTRIBUTION 
 
 
1.  SEE ACTION REQUESTS IN PARAS 2 AND 3. 
 
2.  (SBU) ON APRIL 16, MFA NATO COORDINATOR PJER SIMUNOVIC 
TOLD DCM THAT THE GOC HAD DEVELOPED A PROPOSAL TO RESPOND TO 
SECRETARY RUMSFELD,S REQUEST THAT CROATIA MAKE A 
 
SIPDIS 
    CONTRIBUTION TO COALITION EFFORTS IN IRAQ.  SIMUNOVIC SAID 
THE GOC PROPOSES TO OFFER IN ZAGREB FORENSICS EXPERTISE AND 
PEDIATRIC CARE FOR INJURED IRAQI CHILDREN.  IN ADDITION, THE 
GOC PROPOSES TO PROVIDE A &SMALL8 NUMBER OF POLICE 
INSTRUCTORS FOR THE COALITION,S POLICE ACADEMY LOCATED IN 
JORDAN.  SIMUNOVIC ADDED THAT CROATIA HAD A NUMBER OF SUCH 
INSTRUCTIONS WITH EXPERIENCE AS INSTRUCTORS AT THE POLICE 
ACADEMY IN KOSOVO.  HE DID NOT YET HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF 
INSTRUCTORS ON OFFER, BUT SAID THE &SMALL8 CONTRIBUTION 
MIGHT BE INCREASED LATER.  HE ALSO DID NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC 
PROPOSAL REGARDING WHAT SORTS OF FORENSICS CAPABILITIES WERE 
ON OFFER NOR HOW TO IMPLEMENT A PEDIATRIC CARE OFFER.  HE 
HOPED THAT THE U.S. COULD RESPOND AS TO THE ACCEPTABILITY OF 
THESE OFFERS AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS HOW THEY MIGHT BE 
IMPLEMENTED.  ACTION REQUEST:  PLEASE ADVISE WHETHER A 
FORENSICS CAPABILITY IN ZAGREB COULD BE HELPFUL AND HOW A 
PEDIATRIC CARE PROGRAM COULD BE ORGANIZED (WE UNDERSTAND 
OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE LAUNCHED SUCH PROGRAMS).  ALSO PLEASE 
ADVISE WHETHER THE OFFER OF POLICE INSTRUCTORS WOULD BE 
WELCOME AND WHAT STEPS THE GOC SHOULD TAKE. 
 
3.  (SBU)  SIMUNOVIC SAID THAT FOLLOWING INTERNAL 
CONSULTATIONS, THE GOC HAS DECIDED THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO 
PURSUE FULL MEMBERSHIP IN PSI.  UP UNTIL NOW, CROATIA HAD 
SOUGHT ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AS AN OBSERVER, BUT NOW THE GOC 
FELT IT COULD AND SHOULD PARTICIPATE AS A FULL MEMBER. 
CROATIA TAKES SERIOUSLY ITS COMMITMENTS TO PREVENT THE 
PROLIFERATION OF WMD AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GWOT. 
FURTHER, CROATIA HAS AN EXTENSIVE COASTLINE AND A NUMBER OF 
ACTIVE COMMERCIAL PORTS.  SIMUNOVIC ADDED THAT THE GOC FELT A 
RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTE FULLY TO INITIATIVES SUCH AS 
    PSI.  ACTION REQUEST:  PLEASE ADVISE ON HOW TO RESPOND TO THE 
GOC REQUEST. 
 
4.  (SBU)  SIMUNOVIC SAID HE WOULD TRAVEL TO BERLIN SOON FOR 
DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON THE CROATIAN CONTRIBUTION TO THE 
GERMAN PRT IN KANDUZ, AFGHANISTAN.  THE GOC IS CONSIDERING A 
COMMITMENT OF ABOUT 10 CIVILIANS, INCLUDING JUNIOR DIPLOMATS, 
POLICE OFFICERS AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL (TWO DOCTORS, TWO 
NURSES).  SIMUNOVIC WAS AWARE THAT MACEDONIA HAD PROPOSED TO 
FORM A MEDICAL TEAM COMPOSED OF MILITARY PERSONNEL FROM 
MACEDONIA, ALBANIA AND CROATIA TO PARTICIPATE IN AFGHANISTAN 
OPERATIONS, PROBABLY AS PART OF A PRT.  HE SAID THAT THE 
CROATIAN MOD WAS CONSIDERING THIS PROPOSAL.  WHEN ASKED ABOUT 
WHETHER THE GOC WOULD SEEK SABOR APPROVAL FOR MORE MILITARY 
PERSONNEL TO DEPLOY TO AFGHANISTAN (THE SABOR MUST APPROVE 
MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS OUTSIDE CROATIA), SIMUNOVIC SAID HE 
THOUGHT SEEKING NEW APPROVAL TO STAFF A ADRIATIC CHARTER 
THREE JOINT PLATOON WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM SINCE THE FORMER 
GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS NOW IN OPPOSITION, HAD SUPPORTED THE 
EARLIER DEPLOYMENT OF A 50-PERSON UNIT TO ISAF. 
 
 
FRANK 
 
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