US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB842

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2009 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, HR, Defense Reform (Mil & NATO) 
SUBJECT: CROATIA HESITANT, BUT WILLING TO EXPAND ATTENDANCE 
AT ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION MEETING 
 
REF: STATE 101524 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASOSN 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1.  (SBU) CROATIA REMAINS HESITANT TO INCLUDE SERBIA AND 
MONTENEGRO AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AS FULL PARTICIPANTS IN 
THE MAY 19 - 20 ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION 
MEETING.  WE DELIVERED REFTEL TALKING POINTS TO PJER 
SIMUNOVIC, CROATIA'S POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR NATO ISSUES. 
SIMUNOVIC SAID THAT CROATIA'S HESITANCE STEMS FROM THE GOC 
DRIVE TO MAKE THE ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP A FUNCTIONAL 
BODY WHICH WILL FOCUS ON ISSUES RELATING TO WORK THE PARTNERS 
ARE DOING IN NATO'S MAP TO QUALIFY FOR FOR FULL NATO 
MEMBERSHIP.  SIMUNOVIC POINTED OUT THAT OUR SUGGESTION TO 
INCLUDE SAM AND BIH SEEMS AT ODDS WITH THE REST OF OUR 
MESSAGE (REF), WHICH STATES THAT THE FOCUS OF PC MEETINGS 
SHOULD BE MAP-SPECIFIC, NOT ON ACTIVITIES WITH NON-CHARTER 
PARTNERS OR ON POLITICAL DECLARATIONS.  WE SUGGESTED THAT 
INCLUDING THE SAM AND BIH MINISTERS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY 
FOR THE A3 STATES TO SHOW LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION FOR NATO'S 
SHARED GOALS. 
 
2.  (SBU) ON MAY 10, SIMUNOVIC PHONED FROM BUCHAREST TO SAY 
THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED OUR PROPOSAL WITH HIS MACEDONIAN 
COLLEAGUE (POLDIR MIRA KRAJACIC) AND WOULD PROPOSE THAT A 
SEPARATE MEETING ON THE MARGINS OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER EVENT 
INCLUDING THE THREE "A3" FOREIGN MINISTERS WITH THE SAM AND 
BIH FOREIGN MINISTERS.  HE REMAINED CONVINCED THAT FULL 
ENGAGEMENT OF THE MINISTERS IN THE COMMISSION'S ACTIVITIES 
WOULD BE DISTRACTING AND WOULD DETRACT FROM THE POTENTIAL 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE COMMISSION MEETING.  HE SAID HE 
CONTINUES TO BELIEVE THAT THE ADRIATIC CHARTER SHOULD BE 
ABOUT PROGRESS TOWARDS MAP; "THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER 
    ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO REGIONAL COOPERATION."  WE THANKED 
HIM FOR THE PROPOSAL, AND SAID WE WOULD RELAY ANY WASHINGTON 
REACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
 
COMMENT 
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3.  (C) SIMUNOVIC HAS A POINT: THE INCLUSION OF THE BIH AND 
SAM FOREIGN MINISTERS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE MEETING WOULD 
LIKELY MOVE THE AGENDA AWAY FROM MAP.  BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER 
REASONS FOR CROATIAN FM ZUZUL TO BE LESS THAN EAGER TO MEET 
SAM FM VUK DRASKOVIC.  DRASKOVIC HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO 
ACCOMPANY SAM PRESIDENT MAROVIC TO CROATIA ON AN OFFICIAL 
VISIT TO ZAGREB.  AFTER CROATIA'S TOP NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED A 
LENGTHY INTERVIEW WITH DRASKOVIC CONTAINING SEVERAL 
STATEMENTS CONSIDERED BY MANY IN ZAGREB TO BE INFLAMMATORY, 
DRASKOVIC WAS "DISINVITED" BY PRESIDENT MESIC.  ZUZUL IS 
SCHEDULED TO TRAVEL TO BELGRADE TO MEET DRASKOVIC SHORTLY 
AFTER THE ADRIATIC PARTNERSHIP MEETING.  SIMUNOVIC, WHO IS IN 
CHARGE OF CROATIA'S PR CAMPAIGN TO BUILD POPULAR SUPPORT FOR 
NATO, WOULD PROBABLY RATHER NOT HAVE THE ZUZUL-DRASKOVIC 
MEETING DISPLACE THE ADRIATIC CHARTER MINISTERIAL FROM THE 
ZAGREB HEADLINES. 
FRANK 
 
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