US embassy cable - 04ZAGREB2083

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE  KABUMOTO, MITCHELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, HR, Minorities 
SUBJECT: Minority Agreement Formalizes Protections 
 
Ref: (1) Zagreb 2103 (2) Belgrade 2482 
 
Summary and Comment 
 
1. (SBU) During his historic visit to Belgrade on 15 
November (Refs), PM Sanader and SAM PM Tadic signed an 
agreement on the protection of minorities in the two 
countries.  Focused on the ethnic Croat and ethnic Serb 
minorities in each country, the agreement does not set 
out new protections, but rather confirms the legal rights 
of the two minority groups and establishes a commission to monitor 
progress and implementation.  The third such bilateral 
minority agreement for Croatia, its significance is 
largely symbolic in establishing a technical framework 
for protection and discussion of minority issues.  End 
Summary and Comment. 
 
2. (SBU) Ethnic Serb party MP Milorad Pupovac told us he 
was generally pleased with the agreement, and fought 
successfully with the MFA for the inclusion of several 
provisions: references to refugee issues, the composition 
of the implementing commission, and 'acquired rights' - 
referring to legal minority rights of ethnic Serbs 
which he believes are key.  He remains most interested in 
ensuring the right to use minority languages and promoting the 
activities of the National Minority Council in Croatia. 
Regarding the PM's visit to Belgrade, Pupovac was 
disappointed that the PM declined to visit the ethnic 
Serb refugee committee along side his visits with the 
Croat community and the Catholic Church.  The agreement 
also formally allows the GOC to support ethnic Croats in 
SAM, he noted.  Some ethnic Serb refugee groups, Pupovac 
said, criticized SAM for not pushing the missing persons 
issue more during negotiations. 
 
3. (SBU) According to Dunja Jevak, South East European 
Director at the MFA, the agreement contains no new 
elements but provides a standard for both countries.  The 
GOC is ahead of SAM in terms of minority representation 
and treatment, Jevak stated, and this agreement helps 
move SAM in the right direction.  Jevak admitted the 
Ministry's initial resistance to provisions pushed by the 
SDSS but agreed after recognizing that refugee issues 
were germane to the agreement and that no additional 
protections were involved. 
 
4. (U) The agreement offers similar protections as under 
the Constitution, including the right to education and 
public use of minority script (the parties agreed to 
special legislation on this point and on curriculum 
issues).  It pledges to support employment of minority 
members in education and to promote the availability of 
educational centers and media programs for minorities. 
In addition, the commitment to minority participation in 
local, regional and national government was confirmed, as 
was the protection of minority rights.  Unlike Croatia's 
other minority agreements, it establishes a joint 
committee to monitor implementation to be selected by 
Croatia's National Minority Council.  Minority agreements 
were previously signed with Italy and Hungary. 
 
 
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