US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB969

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR IIP/T/DHR JEREMY PROUT AND IIP/G/EUR LAWRENCE 
SCHWARTZ 
INFO EUR/PPD SUSAN ROSS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OIIP, HR, Defense Reform (Mil & NATO) 
SUBJECT: FY-04 U.S. SPEAKER EVALUATION-CRS ANALYST PAUL 
GALLIS 
 
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY: IN 11 PROGRAMS OVER 
FOUR DAYS (APRIL 28-30 AND MAY 3, 2004), U.S. SPEAKER 
AND NATO EXPERT PAUL GALLIS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL 
    RESEARCH SERVICE EXPLAINED U.S. CONGRESSIONAL VIEWS ON 
NATO AND NATO EXPANSION, ENCOURAGED THE CONTINUATION OF 
CROATIAN DEFENSE REFORMS, AND ENCOURAGED CROATIANS TO 
CONDUCT A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AS THE COUNTRY 
MOVES CLOSER TO JOINING NATO. GALLIS ALSO MET WITH 
CROATIA'S NATO COORDINATOR, ADDRESSED A JOINT MEETING 
OF THE PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEES OF THE 
U.S. - ADRIATIC CHARTER AND, AT A LUNCH HOSTED BY 
AMBASSADOR FRANK, KICKED-OFF PA ZAGREB'S NATO TOUR FOR 
NEW CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS. 
 
2. DATE, FISCAL YEAR, QUARTER: APRIL 27-MAY 4 2004; FY- 
04; SECOND-THIRD QUARTER. 
 
3. JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVE: CROATIA IS EAGER TO 
BECOME A MEMBER OF NATO AND IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING A 
SERIES OF DEFENSE REFORMS. PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NATO, 
HOWEVER, IS LIMITED. POST HAD TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR 
THIS SPEAKER PROGRAM: 1) TO KICK-OFF OUR NATO TOUR, MAY 
3-7, WHICH INCLUDED NEW MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FROM THE 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEES; 2) TO 
ENGAGE A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES ON NATO AND U.S. 
CONGRESSIONAL ISSUES. 
 
4. MPP STRATEGIC GOAL AND AUDIENCE REACHED: MPP GOAL: 
REGIONAL STABILITY.  AUDIENCES INCLUDED CROATIAN 
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE 
MINISTRY OFFICIALS, ACADEMICS, STUDENTS, JOURNALISTS 
AND THINK-TANKERS. IN ADDITION, GALLIS ENGAGED MEMBERS 
OF THE MACEDONIAN AND ALBANIAN PARLIAMENTS IN THE 
PARLIAMENTARY MEETING OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER, HOSTED 
    BY THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT MAY 3-4. 
 
5. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT. GALLIS'S THOROUGH 
KNOWLEDGE OF NATO AND OF THE U.S. CONGRESS MADE HIM AN 
ENORMOUS HIT WITH ALL OF HIS AUDIENCES, FROM UNIVERSITY 
CLASSES TO DEFENSE MINISTRY OFFICIALS, FROM JOURNALISTS 
TO MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVES. IN 
EVERY MEETING, GALLIS REVIEWED CONGRESSIONAL VIEWS OF 
NATO AND CURRENT NATO ISSUES. WHEN ASKED ABOUT U.S. 
VIEWS OF CROATIA ENTERING NATO, HE EMPHASIZED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF CROATIA'S WORKING ON THE REFUGEE RETURN 
ISSUE AND DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SEE INDICTED WAR 
CRIMINAL GENERAL GOTOVINA TURNED OVER TO ICTY.  IN 
ADDITION, GALLIS FIELDED A WIDE-RANGE OF QUESTIONS FROM 
OVER 100 LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENTS AND 
PROFESSORS KNOWN FOR THEIR CRITICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS 
U.S. FOREIGN POLICIES. FINALLY, HE WAS INTERVIEWED BY 
GLOBUS MAGAZINE, ONE OF TWO MAJOR NEWSWEEKLIES IN 
CROATIA. 
 
WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF GALLIS' PRESENCE IN ZAGREB DURING 
THE FIRST-EVER MEETING OF THE CHAIRS OF THE ADRIATIC 
CHARTER PARLIAMENT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEES.  GALLIS 
BRIEFED MEMBERS OF THE CROATIAN, ALBANIAN AND 
MACEDONIAN PARLIAMENTS ON HOW THE U.S. CONGRESS VIEWS 
THE NATO EXPANSION PROCESS. 
 
6.  NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING: NONE 
 
7.  QUALITY AND SUPPORT OF IIP OFFICES INVOLVED: POST 
MADE THE MAJORITY OF ARRANGEMENTS DIRECTLY WITH GALLIS. 

FRANK 
 
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