US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB657

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, HR, Political Parties/Elections 
SUBJECT:  MOST CROATIAN POLITICAL PARTIES DISAPPROVE OF THE MILITARY ACTION 
 
 
1.  MEDIA COVERAGE OF IRAQ IN CROATIA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS 
HAS BEEN UNIFORMLY HOSTILE TO THE U.S. POSITION.  MUCH OF 
IT HAS FOCUSED ON CRITICISM OF THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN BY MEMBERS 
OF PARLIAMENT.  MPS REPRESENTING THE RULING COALITION AND 
JOINED BY SOME OF THE MARGINAL PARTIES IN THE OPPOSITION 
    HAVE ECHOED THE VIEWS AIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT -- THEY 
REGRET THE ATTACK ON IRAQ AND PURPORT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT 
THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER.  ONLY THE CHIEF 
OPPOSITION HDZ PARTY DECLINED TO OFFER COMMENTS, POINTING 
OUT ITS VIEWS HAD BEEN PRESENTED EARLIER.  ON THE EVE OF 
THE WAR, THE HDZ WAS THE ONLY CROATIAN POLITICAL PARTY TO 
SUPPORT THE U.S. POLICY ON IRAQ, INCLUDING IN A BROADLY 
SUPPORTIVE OP-ED PIECE IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL LAST WEEK 
BY PARTY LEADER IVO SANADER. 
 
2.  PEOPLES PARTY PRESIDENT VESNA PUSIC (HNS) TOOK THE 
GLASS AS HALF FULL PERSPECTIVE OF THE CONFLICT.  SHE WISHED 
THE WAR, FOR THE SAKE OF BOTH ALLIED FORCES AND THE IRAQI 
PEOPLE, WOULD BE OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WITH SADDAM 
HUSSEIN GONE.  SHE LOOKED FORWARD TO REBUILDING DEMOCRATIC 
INSTITUTIONS.  OTHERS WERE LESS OPTIMISTIC.  ZDRAVKO TOMAC 
(SDP), WHO CHAIRS THE PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
COMMITTEE, SAID THAT THE U.N. SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE 
TIME AS "IRAQ AT THE MOMENT POSED NO THREAT TO WORLD 
PEACE."  THE PRESIDENT OF THE LIBRA PARTY, JOZO RADOS, 
CONDEMNED THE DECISION TO ATTACK IRAQ WITHOUT A SECURITY 
COUNCIL RESOLUTION.  HE TOLD REPORTERS THE DECISION 
"PROBABLY MEANT SOWING THE SEEDS OF TERRORISM FOR THE 
FUTURE."  THE LIBERAL PARTY PRESIDENT, IVO BANAC, SAID 
THAT, WITHOUT UNSC APPROVAL, THE WAR WAS A "DANGEROUS 
OPERATION WITH UNCLEAR RESULTS."  HE ADDED THAT THE "U.S. 
GOVERNMENT WOULD BEAR ALL CONSEQUENCES" FOR THE DECISION. 
 
3.  EXCEPT FOR HDZ, CROATIAN OPPOSITION PARTIES AIRED 
SIMILAR NEGATIVE VIEWS.  THE SOCIAL LIBERAL PRESIDENT 
DRAZEN BUDISA (HSLS) SAID THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR WOULD 
    BE GRAVE FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS, FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW, 
FOR THE ROLE OF THE UN AND FOR RELATIONS AMONG ALLIES IN 
THE EURO-ATLANTIC PROCESS.  DEMOCRATIC CENTER PRESIDENT 
MATE GRANIC (DC) SUPPORTED THE PRINCIPLE OF MILITARY 
INTERVENTIONS WITHIN THE UNSC FRAMEWORK, RATHER THAN 
"PLAYING ON THE CARD OF DIVISIONS" BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE 
EU, OR EVEN WITHIN THE EU.  CROATIAN BLOC LEADER IVIC 
PASALIC (HB) HOPED THE ACTION WOULD BE OVER AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE AND CASUALTIES KEPT TO A MINIMUM.  ANTO DJAPIC OF 
THE RIGHT WING CROATIAN PARTY OF RIGHTS (HSP) DESCRIBED THE 
MILITARY ACTION AS POSING THE "BIGGEST CRISIS FOR THE 
INTERNATIONAL ORDER IN THE LAST 40 YEARS." 
 
ROSSIN 
 
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