US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB954

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000954 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PGOV, HR, HRPREL, NATO, Defense Reform (Mil & NATO) 
SUBJECT: CROATIA AT THE SIGNING OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CDA PATRICK S. MOON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D) 
 
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1.  (C) CROATIA TOOK SOME TIME TO WARM TO THE IDEA OF THE 
ADRIATIC CHARTER.  BECAUSE OF ITS FEAR OF BEING TRAPPED IN A 
NEW BALKAN ALLIANCE AND ALSO BECAUSE OF AN ARROGANT 
ASSUMPTION THAT ITS MORE ADVANCED LEVEL OF ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT MADE IT A BETTER NATO CANDIDATE, CROATIA RESISTED 
TYING ITS FORTUNES TO ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA.  BUT CROATIA HAS 
SINCE BECOME AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER OF THE CHARTER.  THE 
GOVERNMENT AND ESPECIALLY FM PICULA HAVE TAKEN US AT OUR WORD 
THAT EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE EVALUATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. 
 THEY ALSO REALIZE THAT BY SIGNING, CROATIA CAN DEMONSTRATE 
ITS COMMITMENT TO WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH OTHER 
PROSPECTIVE ALLIES.  FINALLY, PICULA HOPES THAT THE CHARTER 
WILL ENSURE THAT THE U.S. REMAINS COMMITTED TO FUTURE 
EXPANSION. 
 
2.  (C) WE EXPECT THAT THE SECRETARY'S SCHEDULE WILL ALLOW 
VERY LITTLE TIME FOR SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION WITH FM PICULA. 
 THERE ARE, HOWEVER, A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH MAY COME UP IN 
WHICH THE SECRETARY'S ENGAGEMENT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. 
 
-------------------------------- 
UN-FROZEN ASSETS FROM YUGOSLAVIA 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) CROATIA CONTINUES TO OBJECT TO OUR FORMULA TO 
UN-BLOCK FUNDS FROZEN IN THE U.S. BY MILOSEVIC-ERA SANCTIONS. 
 
POINT TO MAKE: 
 
- CROATIA NEEDS TO PUT THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST, AS OTHER 
SUCCESSOR STATES HAVE, AND ACCEPT THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. 
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ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT 
-------------------- 
 
4.  (C) CROATIA HAS NOT BEGUN TO NEGOTIATE AN ARTICLE 98 
AGREEMENT, AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE ESSENTIAL TO CROATIA'S 
MODERNIZATION AND INTEROPERABILITY GOALS IS IN JEOPARDY. 
 
POINT TO MAKE: 
 
- URGE YOU TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT 
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  THE JULY 1 DEADLINE IS LOOMING AND 
CROATIA MUST NOT COUNT ON A WAIVER. 
 
---------------- 
ICTY COOPERATION 
---------------- 
 
5.  (C) CROATIA MET THE TRIBUNAL'S RECENT DEADLINES FOR 
COOPERATION, BUT ONLY AT THE LAST MINUTE AND ONLY UNDER HEAVY 
PRESSURE.  THE INDICTMENT WAS SERVED ON GENERAL BOBETKO, 
REQUESTS FOR DOCUMENTS ARE ON THE WAY TO BEING FULFILLED, AND 
FUGITIVE ICTY INDICTEE IVICA RAJIC HAS BEEN APPREHENDED. 
 
POINTS TO MAKE: 
 
- PROMPT AND FULL COOPERATION WITH ICTY IS ESSENTIAL AND 
NON-NEGOTIABLE AND IS A LITMUS TEST FOR CROATIA'S READINESS 
TO ADVANCE IN THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION INTO NATO AND THE 
EU. 
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- URGE YOU TO REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS TO APPREHEND ICTY 
FUGITIVE ANTE GOTOVINA. 
 
--------------- 
REFUGEE RETURNS 
--------------- 
 
6.  (C) CROATIA HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH ON THIS ISSUE.  DESPITE 
PROGRESS ON RECONSTRUCTION OF WAR-DAMAGED HOUSES, THE 
GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED TO MEET DEADLINES ON EVICTIONS OF 
THOUSANDS OF CROAT "SQUATTERS" IN HOMES BELONGING TO ETHNIC 
SERBS WHO FLED DURING THE WAR, NOR HAS IT MET COMMITMENTS TO 
COMPENSATE OWNERS.  NOW THE RACAN GOVERNMENT IS RESISTING 
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ON THIS ISSUE. 
 
POINT TO MAKE: 
 
- IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT 
YOUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT REFUGEE 
RETURNS.  THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, AND UNTIL IT IS ADDRESSED 
IN A SERIOUS, SYSTEMATIC WAY, IT BLOCKS CROATIA'S INTEGRATION 
INTO EURO-ATLANTIC INSTITUTIONS. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6630 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  00954  02 OF 02  301022Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AID-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NRRC-00  NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   DHS-00   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   TRSE-00 
      USIE-00  R-00     SSD-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01 
      G-00     SSR-00   NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /007W 
                  ------------------5D4E5E  301022Z /38 
O 301011Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0063 
INFO AMEMBASSY SKOPJE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY TIRANA IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO PRIORITY 
USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 000954 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2013 
TAGS: PREL, NATO, PGOV, HR 
SUBJECT: CROATIA AT THE SIGNING OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER 
 
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CONTRIBUTION TO WAR ON TERROR/IRAQI FREEDOM 
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PAGE 02        ZAGREB  00954  02 OF 02  301022Z 
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7.  (C) CROATIA HAS BEEN A SOLID ALLY IN THE WAR ON 
TERRORISM, AND HAS MADE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS.  CROATIA'S 
ONLY MILITARY UNIT CERTIFIED AS NATO-INTEROPERABLE (AN MP 
PLATOON) IS NOW DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN.  CROATIA REFUSED TO 
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COALITION ON IRAQ, PREFERRING TO SCORE 
POINTS WITH THE FRENCH TO SUPPORT ITS EU MEMBERSHIP BID. 
CROATIA HAS OFFERED IN-KIND ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ AND IS 
CONSIDERING OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT THIS IS AN ELECTION 
YEAR, AND THE RACAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO SWIM 
THE TIDE AGAINST PUBLIC OPINION TO SUPPORT OUR APPROACH. 
OFFICIALS SEEK TO KEEP CROATIA'S COOPERATION ON TERRORISM 
DISTINCT FROM ITS RESISTANCE ON IRAQ. 
 
POINT TO MAKE 
 
- WE APPRECIATE CROATIA'S IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WAR 
ON TERRORISM.  WE HOPE CROATIA WILL RESPOND POSITIVELY TO 
CONCRETE REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT TO ACTIVITIES IN IRAQ. 
 
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PROGRESS TOWARD MEMBERSHIP IN NATO 
---------------------------------- 
 
8.  (C) IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE THE CURRENT COALITION 
DEFEATED THE NATIONALIST REGIME LED BY TUDJMAN'S HDZ, 
CROATIA'S STATUS CHANGED FROM BEING OUTSIDE PFP TO THAT OF 
SERIOUS ASPIRANT IN NATO'S MEMBERSHIP ACTION PLAN.  PROGRESS 
HAS BEEN UNEVEN AND, IN SOME AREAS, DISAPPOINTING.  AT 
CROATIA'S FIRST FORMAL MAP REVIEW IN BRUSSELS ON MAY 8, 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  00954  02 OF 02  301022Z 
PICULA WILL HEAR A TOUGH MESSAGE ON REFORMS. 
 
POINT TO MAKE: 
 
- COMMEND YOUR GOVERNMENT'S PROGRESS AND REITERATE USG 
COMMITMENT TO NATO'S OPEN DOOR.  URGE YOU TO MAKE PROGRESS ON 
KEY REFORM AREAS -- MOST OF NATO'S BENCHMARKS WILL HELP YOU 
PROGRESS TOWARD MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU AS WELL. 
MOON 
 
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