US embassy cable - 95ZAGREB3545

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 003545 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
BELGRADE FOR AMB. HOLBROOKE 
 
E.O. 12356:DECL:9/13/10 
TAGS: PREF, MOPS, BS, HR, War Crimes 
SUBJECT: NO UN OBSERVERS PRESENT IN WESTERN BOSNIA AREA 
OF OPERATIONS 
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1. (C) - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2. UNCRO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLITICAL OPERATIONS UK COL. 
WILLIAMS PULLED DCM ASIDE SEPTEMBER 13 AT A BRIEFING FOR 
THE NEW UN HUMANITARIAN CRISIS CELL, SET UP IN RESPONSE 
TO THE PROBLEMS OF CIVILIAN POPULATIONS IN CROATIA AND 
BOSNIA.  WILLIAMS POINTED OUT THAT HV AND HVO GAINS OF 
THE PAST FEW DAYS HAVE CREATED A LARGE AREA IN WESTERN 
BOSNIA THAT IS EFFECTIVELY DEVOID OF UN OBSERVER 
PRESENCE, AND WHICH MAY BECOME THE SOURCE OF NEW LARGE 
NUMBERS OF REFUGEES. 
 
3. THE FRONT, ACCORDING TO GOC CLAIMS, NOW RUNS ALONG A 
LINE FROM TITOV DRVAR EAST INCLUDING SIPOVO NEARLY TO 
JAJCE. BOSNIAN SERB LEADER KARADZIC CONFIRMED ON 
TELEVISION SEPTEMBER 12 THAT SIPOVO WAS OCCUPIED. 
ACCORDING TO WILLIAMS, UNCRO OBSERVERS ARE NOT ALLOWED 
NORTH OF THE LIVNO-PROZOR ROAD FROM THE SOUTH, AND ARE 
DENIED ACCESS TO BOSNIA FROM THEIR FOUR OBSERVATION POSTS 
LOCATED IN FORMER SECTORS NORTH AND SOUTH OF CROATIA. 
UNPROFOR FORCES DO NOT HAVE ACCESS FROM THE EAST. 
 
4. THIS MEANS THERE ARE NO UN OBSERVERS PRESENT IN A 
LARGE SWATH OF TERRITORY.  WILLIAMS ESTIMATED THAT 20,000 
NEW REFUGEES MAY SHORTLY EMERGE FROM JAJCE AND SAID THAT 
PAST CROATIAN ACTIONS IN SECTORS NORTH AND SOUTH CAUSE 
FEARS THAT HOSTILE ACTS AGAINST CIVILIANS WILL TAKE PLACE 
IN THE NEWLY 'REINTEGRATED' AREAS OF BOSNIA AS WELL. 
WILLIAMS SPECULATED THAT THE CROATS MAY CONTINUE TOWARDS 
BANJA LUKA AND CAUSE A ROUT OF SERBS IN WESTERN BOSNIA. 
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5.  SERBS REMAINING IN CROATIA CONTINUE TO HAVE SERIOUS 
HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEMS IN SECTORS NORTH AND SOUTH.  THE UN 
PROVIDED A FULL SUMMARY LISTING INCIDENTS OF KILLINGS AND 
HOUSE BURNINGS IN THE KRAJINA REGION TO ZAGREB DIPLOMATS 
SEPTEMBER 13 (EMBASSY WILL FAX TO EUR/SCE).  NEARLY 800 
SERBS REMAIN CONFINEO IN THE UN HEADQUARTERS COMPOUND IN 
KNIN, AS A SERIES OF AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THEIR LEAVING 
FOR SERBIA (MINUS SEVERAL -- FIRST 65, NOW 32 -- OF THEIR 
NUMBER CHARGED WITH WAR CRIMES) RAN INTO SNAGS FROM 
CROATIAN AUTHORITIES. 
 
6. COMMENT; THE UN NEEDS TO BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE 
NEWLY-TAKEN AREAS SOONEST TO DOCUMENT WHAT IS HAPPENING 
TO THE CIVILIAN POPULATION THERE. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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