US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1709

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE AND IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2008 
TAGS: PREL, HR, UNGA 
SUBJECT: CROATIA SEEKS BILATERAL MEETING WITH SECRETARY 
POWELL DURING UNGA 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM PATRICK S. MOON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (SBU) ON JULY 29, DCM MET WITH VICE SKRACIC, HEAD OF THE 
MFA'S UN DEPARTMENT.  SKRACIC PRESENTED THE GOC'S FORMAL 
REQUEST FOR A BILATERAL MEETING WITH SECRETARY POWELL FOR 
CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TONINO PICULA DURING THIS YEAR'S 
UNGA.  SKRACIC SAID THAT THE GOC UNDERSTANDS HOW BUSY THE 
SECRETARY WILL BE AND THAT IF A MEETING ON THE MARGINS OF 
 
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    UNGA IS NOT POSSIBLE, PICULA IS READY TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON 
EITHER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE OR AFTER THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
PICULA NOW PLANS TO BE IN NEW YORK FROM SEPTEMBER 22 - 26, 
BUT WOULD BE READY TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON EITHER ON 
SEPTEMBER 18 - 19 OR SEPTEMBER 29 - 30 FOR A MEETING WITH THE 
SECRETARY.  SKRACIC UNDERSTOOD THAT SCHEDULES WILL TAKE TIME 
 
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TO FORMULATE, BUT ASKED FOR AN EARLY RESPONSE SO CROATIA'S 
EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON CAN BEGIN WORK ON A PROGRAM OF OTHER 
SUBSTANTIVE MEETINGS FOR THE MINISTER. 
 
2.  (SBU) SKRACIC SAID THAT THE MAIN SUBJECTS OF DISCUSSION 
WOULD BE CROATIA'S CONTRIBUTION OF TROOPS TO IRAQ, A POSSIBLE 
COMPROMISE FORMULA ON ARTICLE 98/ICC AND COUNTERTERRORISM. 
THE DCM TOLD SKRACIC THAT WE WOULD FORWARD THE GOC REQUEST. 
HE NOTED THAT DURING A BUSY TIME LIKE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 
SENIOR U.S. OFFICIALS OFTEN HELD THEMATIC MEETINGS WITH 
GROUPINGS OF REGIONAL LEADERS.  IN THIS REGARD, HE ASKED 
WHETHER CROATIA'S PARLIAMENT WOU.LD APPROVE BEFORE PICULA'S 
TRIP A PLANNED DEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS TO IRAQ.  SKRACIC SAID HE 
WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PARLIAMENT WOULD APPROVE THE 
DEPLOYMENT IN ADVANCE OF THE MINISTER'S TRIP. 
 
3.  (SBU) SKRACIC ASKED THAT WE EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF A 
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY FOR CROATIAN PRESIDENT MESIC WITH PRESIDENT 
BUSH.  MESIC NOW PLANS TO ARRIVE IN NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 21 
AND INTENDS TO DEPART BY THE END OF THE WEEK. 
 
POST RECOMMENDATION 
------------------- 
 
4.  (C) WE DO NOT SEE JUSTIFICATION FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY 
    FOR PRESIDENT MESIC, EXCEPT PERHAPS AS PART OF A GROUP 
PHOTOGRAPH (PERHAPS OF ADRIATIC CHARTER COUNTRIES OR OF 
COUNTRIES WHICH ARE PROVIDING TROOPS TO IRAQ).  LIKEWISE WE 
DO SEE ENOUGH JUSTIFICATION FOR A PRIVATE BILATERAL MEETING 
WITH FM PICULA, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD SUPPORT HIS PARTICIPATION 
IN A MEETING OF REGIONAL LEADERS WITH SENIOR USG OFFICIALS. 
FRANK 
 
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