US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB817

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000817 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE:KABUMOTO AND S/WCI:PROSPER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2014 
TAGS: PREL, KAWC, HR, War Crimes 
SUBJECT: FM ZUZUL SEEKS UNDERSTANDING ON GOTOVINA 
 
REF: A. SECRETARY 6 OF 29 APRIL 04 
 
     B. USNATO 429 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR RALPH FRANK, REASON: 1.5 (B) & (D) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (C) FOREIGN MINISTER MIOMIR ZUZUL SOUGHT A MEETING WITH 
    AMBASSADOR FRANK TO EXPRESS HIS DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE U.S. 
POSITION CONDITIONING SUPPORT FOR CROATIA'S NATO ENTRY ON THE 
ARREST OF ICTY FUGITIVE ANTE GOTOVINA (REFTELS).  AMBASSADOR 
FRANK RESPONDED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE AS 
THE U.S. HAS LONG STATED THAT FULL COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY 
MEANS THAT GOTOVINA IS ARRESTED AND IN THE HAGUE.  THE 
AMBASSADOR CAUTIONED THAT CROATIA CANNOT ABSOLVE ITSELF OF 
ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO LOCATE AND APPREHEND GOTOVINA BY 
ATTEMPTING TO SHOW THAT GOTOVINA IS NOT IN CROATIA.  FM ZUZUL 
PLANS A PRIVATE VISIT TO THE U.S. MAY 16-18 AND ASKED IF HE 
SHOULD TRY TO SEE THE SECRETARY ONCE AGAIN.  AMBASSADOR 
SUGGESTED THAT WHILE FM ZUZUL COULD USEFULLY MEET WITH 
AMBASSADOR PROSPER, ZUZUL SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT THE WELCOME MAT 
IN WASHINGTON BY SEEKING ADDITIONAL HIGH LEVEL MEETINGS.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
SHOCKED, JUST SHOCKED 
--------------------- 
 
2. (C) ON MAY 4, AMBASSADOR FRANK MET WITH FOREIGN MINISTER 
MIOMIR ZUZUL TO REINFORCE THE U.S. POSITION ON ICTY FUGITIVE 
ANTE GOTOVINA.  MINISTER ZUZUL EXPRESSED HIS SURPRISE AT THE 
U.S. POSITION THAT CROATIA'S ENTRY INTO NATO WAS CONDITIONED 
ON THE ARREST AND DELIVERY TO THE HAGUE OF ICTY FUGITIVE ANTE 
GOTOVINA.  ZUZUL SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT HE 
DESCRIBED AS AN UNHELPFUL APRIL 30 NATO MAP REVIEW IN 
BRUSSELS (REF B), PARTICULARLY AFTER THE POSITIVE EU AVIS, 
WHICH HE THOUGHT HAD ALSO REFLECTED U.S. VIEWS. 
 
3. (C) AMBASSADOR FRANK RESPONDED THAT THE U.S. POSITION 
SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE AS IT WAS NOT NEW.  THE U.S. 
    HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR THAT FULL COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY 
MEANT THAT GOTOVINA WAS ARRESTED AND DELIVERED TO THE HAGUE. 
ON APRIL 15, ZUZUL HAD BEEN TOLD DIRECTLY BY AMBASSADOR 
PROSPER THAT THE U.S. DID NOT AGREE WITH ICTY CHIEF 
PROSECUTOR DEL PONTE'S ASSESSMENT THAT CROATIA WAS FULLY 
COOPERATIVE WITH ICTY.  ZUZUL HAD HEARD THE SAME MESSAGE FROM 
THE SECRETARY TWICE ) DURING THEIR PHONE CALL APRIL 16 AND 
IN PERSON IN BERLIN ON APRIL 28 (REF A). 
 
HELP US FIND GOTOVINA 
--------------------- 
 
4. (C) ZUZUL SAID HE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE CURRENT 
SITUATION, AS THE GOC WAS CONVINCED THAT GOTOVINA WAS NOT IN 
CROATIA.  THE GOC WAS NOT AFRAID OF THE POLITICAL 
CONSEQUENCES OF ARRESTING GOTOVINA.  HIS ARREST WOULD PROVIDE 
RELIEF FROM THE CURRENT DEPRESSING POSITION THE GOC WAS IN. 
ZUZUL THEN ASKED FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE IN FINDING GOTOVINA. 
 
5. (C) AMBASSADOR FRANK REMINDED ZUZUL THAT IT WAS INCUMBENT 
ON THE GOC TO FIND GOTOVINA.  IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO ASSERT 
THAT GOTOVINA WAS NOT IN CROATIA.  THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY WAS CONCERNED THAT SOME IN CROATIA BELIEVED THEY 
COULD "GAME" THE ISSUE BY WAITING OUT THE ICTY'S COMPLETION 
STRATEGY.  CROATIA'S PAST BEHAVIOR -- ON BOBETKO AND GOTOVINA 
) HAD PUT THE BURDEN ON CROATIA TO MATCH ITS WORDS WITH 
ACTIONS.  THE U.S. HAD GONE VERY FAR IN SUPPORTING CROATIA'S 
NATO ASPIRATIONS.  HOWEVER, GOTOVINA IS AND WOULD REMAIN A 
MAJOR OBSTACLE TO FURTHER U.S. SUPPORT FOR CROATIA'S NATO 
CANDIDACY.  THE GOC SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN THE SEARCH, AS NO 
OTHER COUNTRY COULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE CONTACTS AND LEADS 
    THAT COULD LEAD TO GOTOVINA'S CAPTURE. 
 
ZUZUL'S PRIVATE TRIP TO U.S. 
---------------------------- 
 
6. (C) FM ZUZUL SAID HE WAS PLANNING A PRIVATE VISIT TO 
BOSTON AND NEW YORK FROM MAY 13 AND WOULD BE IN WASHINGTON 
MAY 16-18 TO DEAL WITH PERSONAL ISSUES.  ZUZUL ASKED WHETHER 
HE SHOULD TRY TO SEE THE SECRETARY AGAIN.  THE AMBASSADOR 
SAID THAT, HAVING JUST SEEN THE SECRETARY, ZUZUL SHOULD NOT 
SEEK ANOTHER MEETING TO GO OVER THE SAME GROUND.  AMBASSADOR 
FRANK SUGGESTED THAT ZUZUL COULD USEFULLY MEET WITH 
AMBASSADOR PROSPER, IN ADVANCE OF PROSPER'S POSSIBLE NEXT 
VISIT TO CROATIA, IF ZUZUL HAD SOMETHING NEW TO SAY ON 
GOTOVINA. 
 
FRANK 
 
NNNN