US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1678

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR OES/OMC - DMWARNER-KRAMER 
 
NMFS FOR KBLANKENBEKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS, AORC, PHSA, SENV, HR, ICCAT 
SUBJECT: CROATIA DOES NOT SUPPORT U.S. CANDIDATE FOR 
ICCAT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 
 
REF: STATE 209478 

1. ON JULY 23 WE PROVIDED REFTEL TALKING POINTS TO THE 
ANDREA BEKIC, DEPARTMENT FOR NORTH AMERICA, MINISTRY OF 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND IVAN KATAVIC, ASSISTANT MINISTER OF 
FISHERIES AND AGRICULTURE IN CHARGE OF THE FISHERIES 
DIRECTORATE.  ON JULY 25, KATAVIC TOLD US CROATIA DOES 
NOT SUPPORT THE CANDIDACY OF MR. JOSEPH POWERS FOR THE 
NEW EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION 
FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC TUNAS (ICCAT). 
 
2. KATAVIC STATED THAT CROATIA HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED ITS 
BALLOT RANKING, AND INCLUDED ONE CANDIDATE EACH FROM 
JAPAN AND MOROCCO, AND THREE CANDIDATES EACH FROM SPAIN 
AND FRANCE.  CROATIA BELIEVES THE CANDIDATES IT 
SUPPORTED WILL BE ABLE TO PROTECT THE EASTERN STOCK OF 
TUNA BETTER THAN MR. POWERS.  KATAVIC CITED ECONOMIC 
REASONS AS THE BASIS FOR CROATIA'S DIFFERENCES WITH THE 
UNITED STATES AND CANADA ON THE ISSUE OF INTRODUCING A 
MORATORIUM ON TUNA FISHING.  HOWEVER, IN 2004 CROATIA 
WILL BE ASSIGNED A FISHING QUOTA FOR TUNA BY THE EU. 
 
3. COMMENT: ON THIS ISSUE AND OTHERS, CROATIA'S EU 
ASPIRATIONS WILL TRUMP MOST OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
FRANK 
 
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