US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1553

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AC/CAC (JYOUNG), EUR/AGS AND EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MARR, HR 
SUBJECT: RACVIAC: CROATIA ASKS U.S. TO REMAIN IN ADVISORY 
GROUP 
 
REF: A. STATE 168583 
     B. BERLIN 2394 

1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  CROATIA BELIEVES THE U.S. IS 
UNDERESTIMATING THE VALUE OF RACVIAC AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING 
REGIONAL STABILITY AND ASKS THAT WE RECONSIDER THE CENTER'S 
BENEFITS BEFORE REDUCING OUR ENGAGEMENT IN THE ADVISORY 
GROUP.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) ON JUNE 18, WE DELIVERED REF A TALKING POINTS TO 
VICE SKRACIC, HEAD OF THE MFA'S INTERNATIONAL SECURITY 
DEPARTMENT.  DUE TO ONGOING REORGANIZATION OF THE MFA, 
SKRACIC PROVIDED A DEFINITIVE RESPONSE TO OUR POSITION ONLY 
ON JULY 2.  SKRACIC ASKED THAT WE CONSIDER CAREFULLY BEFORE 
DISENGAGING FROM THE MULTINATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP (MAG). 
DESPITE WHAT COULD APPEAR TO BE A PROLIFERATION OF REGIONAL 
ARMS CONTROL "TALK SHOPS," RACVIAC PROVIDES UNIQUE VALUE, HE 
ARGUED.  ACCORDING TO SKRACIC, RACVIAC IS INCREASINGLY USEFUL 
AS A VENUE TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO WORKING-LEVEL OFFICIALS ON 
IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPLEX REGIONAL ARMS CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS. 
 HE CLAIMED RACVIAC IS RELATIVELY EASY TO GET TO AND 
INEXPENSIVE.  SKRACIC DECLARED THAT RACVIAC HAS NO PRETENSION 
TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A LEARNING CENTER; ITS EFFORTS TO 
FORM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE CLEARINGHOUSE 
FOR THE CONTROL OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SEESAC) AND 
THE SHAPE SCHOOL AT OBERAMMERGAU ARE ATTEMPTS TO MAKE BETTER 
USE OF THE FACILITIES IN CROATIA. 
 
3.  (SBU) SKRACIC AGREED THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF 900,000 
EURO IS HIGH, BUT POINTED OUT THAT TWO-THIRDS OF THAT AMOUNT 
HAVE ALREADY BEEN PLEDGED BY FRANCE AND GERMANY.  HE 
SUGGESTED THAT EVEN IF THE U.S. CHOOSE NOT TO CONTRIBUTE 
FINANCIALLY, IT SHOULD CONSIDER REMAINING IN RACVIAC'S 
    MULTINATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP.  THE LOSS OF U.S. PARTICIPATION 
WOULD BE A BLOW TO THE ORGANIZATION'S CREDIBILITY, SAID 
SKRACIC. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
4.  (SBU) OUR ABILITY TO SHAPE RACVIAC'S AGENDA HAS BEEN 
LIMITED.  IF WE REMAINED IN THE MAG WITHOUT CONTRIBUTING TO 
RACVIAC'S BUDGET, WE WOULD HAVE EVEN LESS LEVERAGE THAN WE DO 
NOW.  WHILE SKRACIC IS PROBABLY CORRECT THAT THE RACVIAC WILL 
LOSE CREDIBILITY WITHOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT, WE AGREE WITH 
EMBASSY BERLIN'S CONCLUSION (REF B) THAT A CAREFUL, CORDIAL 
FAREWELL TO THE MAG WITH NO RECRIMINATIONS WOULD BEST SERVE 
OUR INTERESTS IN THE REGION. 
FRANK 
 
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