US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1328

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, HR 
SUBJECT: POPE ENCOURAGES CROATIA'S EU ASPIRATIONS 
 
 
1. POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITED CROATIA BETWEEN JUNE 5-9 -- 
HIS THIRD VISIT TO THIS OVERWHELMINGLY CATHOLIC COUNTRY. 
IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS ON ARRIVAL AT THE RIJEKA AIRPORT 
    THE POPE NOTED THAT "CROATIA RECENTLY SUBMITTED ITS 
APPLICATION TO BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART, BOTH POLITICALY 
AND ECONOMICALLY, OF THE BIG FAMILY OF EUROPEAN NATIONS 
-- I CANNOT BUT EXPECT A DESIRE FOR FAST FULFILLMENT OF 
THESE ASPIRATIONS." 
 
2. THE VISIT DOMINATED THE CROATIAN MEDIA AND WAS 
WITHOUT EXCEPTION PORTRAYED POSITIVELY.  USING RIJEKA AS 
A BASE, THE POPE TRAVELED TO DUBROVNIK AND ZADAR ON THE 
COAST, AND TO OSIJEK AND DJAKOVO IN EASTERN SLAVONIA. 
KEY POLITICAL FIGURES INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT, PRIME 
MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER WELCOMED THE POPE'S 
MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTRY'S EFFORTS TO JOIN THE 
EUROPEAN UNION. 
 
3. IN OSIJEK THE POPE GREETED A CROWD OF 200,000 AND 
NOTED THAT IN THE AFTERMATH OF WAR, WHICH LEFT DEEP AND 
STILL UNHEALED WOUNDS ON THE POPULATION, IT REQUIRES A 
LOT OF COURAGE TO PROMOTE RECONCILIATION, SOLIDARITY AND 
SOCIAL JUSTICE.  THE PRESENCE OF SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 
DIGNITARIES WAS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE VISIT. 
 
4. GOC OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT RESTITUTION OF THE 
CHURCH'S NATIONALIZED PROPERTY WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA IN 
MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT MESIC OR PRIME MINISTER RACAN. 
GORAN GRANIC, A DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND THE GOC POINT 
PERSON FOR RELATIONS WITH THE CHURCH, STATED THAT MANY 
INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS HAVE SIMILAR CLAIMS, BUT 
THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE PRIVILEGED IN THIS PROCESS. 
HOWEVER, PRESS REPORTS IN ADVANCE OF THE VISIT CITED 
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH THE CHURCH 
    COULD RECEIVE AS MUCH AS 25 PERCENT OF THE STATE-OWNED 
CROATIA INSURANCE COMPANY AS COMPENSATION FOR A PART OF 
ITS PROPERTY NATIONALIZED UNDER THE COMMUNISTS. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
5. ACCORDING TO IVICA MASTRUKO, PRESIDENT MESIC'S 
ADVISER FOR RELIGIOUS ISSUES AND CROATIA'S LONG-SERVING 
AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN, THE POPE'S SUPPORT FOR 
CROATIA'S EU ASPIRATIONS WAS PARTICULARLY AIMED TOWARD 
THE LOCAL CHURCH, WHICH HAS BEEN VOCALLY SKEPTICAL OF 
THE GOC'S EURO-ATLANTIC ASPIRATIONS.  NATIONALIST AND 
ISOLATIONIST TENDENCIES ARE MOST NOTABLE AMONG DALMATIAN 
BISHOPS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE GONE AS FAR AS TO PUBLICLY 
SUPPORT INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS.  WHILE WE DO NOT EXPECT 
ANY CHANGES IN THE POLITICAL VIEWS OF LOCAL CHURCH 
OFFICIALS, THE VISIT SHOULD BOOST THE POSITION OF 
ARCHBISHOP JOSIP BOZANIC, CROATIA'S TOP CHURCH OFFICIAL 
AND A REPUTED MODERATE, WHO HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING 
MORE IN LINE WITH THE VATICAN POLICY. 
 
ROSSIN 
 
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