Wikileaks - DCCCL
124870 10/5/2007 10:13 07USNATO545 Mission USNATO CONFIDENTIAL 07STATE129867 C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 00545 SIPDIS O 051013Z OCT 07 FM USMISSION USNATO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1253 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000545
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2017 TAGS: NATO, PGOV, PREL, CR SUBJECT: CROATIA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL PROGRAM RECEIVES GOOD MARKS AT SEPTEMBER 18
REF: A. STATE 129867
B. NATO 0500 C. CROATIA'S ANP (E-MAILED TO EUR/RPM)
Classified By: DCM W. Scott Reid for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: NATO's Senior Political Committee (Reinforced) (SPC/R) met with a Croatian delegation on September 18 to review their latest Annual National Program (ANP) for this year's abbreviated Membership Action Plan (MAP) cycle before the April 2008 summit in Bucharest. Allies were generally pleased with the progress made over the previous MAP cycle. Croatia received specific commendation for its Communications Management Strategy and continued contributions to NATO-led military operations. Allies urged Croatia to continue the fight against corruption and reform of the judicial system. Finally, some Allies raised questions regarding Croatia's military transformation process and associated challenges. END SUMMARY.
--------------------------------------------- ---------
CROATIA: TRANSFORMATIONS IN ANTICIPATION OF BUCHAREST
--------------------------------------------- ---------
2. (C) Pjer Simunovic, Croatia's National Coordinator for NATO and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented Croatia's ANP to NATO Allies on September 18, 2007. Simunovic stressed Croatia's awareness of the short time remaining before Bucharest and its commitment to further preparation to meet the standards required for NATO accession. Simunovic briefed on Croatia's participation in ISAF, reminding Allies that Croatia's troop commitment is planned to increase from 200 to 300 by 2008. Simunovic reiterated Croatia's commitment to democratic reforms, noting that in the nine months from June 2006 through March 2007, the backlog of court cases in Croatia dropped by over 16% and unresolved cases within the land registry declined by almost 62%. Results from the National Anti-Corruption Program are being seen and include participation from fifteen government bodies including an independent National Council made up of individuals from within and outside the government monitoring their work. Continued democratic reforms, engagement in international security operations, security reform and classified information regulation elaboration were highlighted as being critical to Croatia's continued growth and democratization.
3. (C) Assistant Minister of Defence Igor Pokaz discussed the transformation of Croatia's military. He emphasized the modernization of Croatia's military into a smaller, more mobile force (Army, Navy, and Air Force) through continued downsizing of its armed forces and modernization of equipment and training procedures. The transformation will be a gradual, phased-approach with the first phase focused on achieving force readiness for NATO/PfP-led operations. The reorganization of the command structure should be complete by the end of 2009.
--------------------------------------
ALLIES VOICE APPRECIATION AND CONCERNS
--------------------------------------
4. (C) USNATO POLAD thanked Croatia for its participation, congratulated Zagreb for its troops' performance in ISAF, and inquired as to how it planned to raise in-theater forces to 300 in 2008. He emphasized that while Croatia had made significant strides toward NATO membership, time was short with much to do before April's Bucharest Summit. He pointed to the need for a continued public information campaign in the run-up to elections, further progress on property restitution or associated tenancy equivalents, support for refugee return, and easing inter-ethnic tensions. Finally, the POLAD noted disappointment over the delays in Croatia's elaboration of its MiG replacement strategy and asked for clarification of the overall plan.
5. (C) A number of Allies seconded U.S. points on the importance of a continued public information campaign, as well as Zagreb's pressing through judicial and other reforms over the shortened MAP period. All voiced appreciation for Croatia's engagement in international security operations, such as in ISAF. They cited concerns over the military's ability to continue transformation into a professional volunteer force at its current pace. Several Allies noted the likely challenges of recruitment and retention in the context of a rapidly growing Croatian economy.
--------------------
ABBREVIATED RESPONSE
--------------------
6. (C) Simunovic promised to "keep his eye on the ball" of the communications strategy in the run-up to elections and commented that Croatia was committed to former tenancy owner's rights and hoped to have all cases resolved be 2009. Due to time constraints and the length of Simunovic and Pokaz's initial presentations, he promised to provide written responses to other Allied questions. NULAND
