Wikileaks - LXXXII

16856 5/12/2004 16:23 04ZAGREB842 Embassy Zagreb CONFIDENTIAL 04STATE101524 This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000842

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2009 TAGS: MARR, PREL, HR, Defense Reform (Mil & NATO) SUBJECT: CROATIA HESITANT, BUT WILLING TO EXPAND ATTENDANCE AT ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION MEETING

REF: STATE 101524

CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASOSN 1.5 (B,D)

1. (SBU) CROATIA REMAINS HESITANT TO INCLUDE SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AS FULL PARTICIPANTS IN THE MAY 19 - 20 ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP COMMISSION MEETING. WE DELIVERED REFTEL TALKING POINTS TO PJER SIMUNOVIC, CROATIA\'S POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR NATO ISSUES. SIMUNOVIC SAID THAT CROATIA\'S HESITANCE STEMS FROM THE GOC DRIVE TO MAKE THE ADRIATIC CHARTER PARTNERSHIP A FUNCTIONAL BODY WHICH WILL FOCUS ON ISSUES RELATING TO WORK THE PARTNERS ARE DOING IN NATO\'S MAP TO QUALIFY FOR FOR FULL NATO MEMBERSHIP. SIMUNOVIC POINTED OUT THAT OUR SUGGESTION TO INCLUDE SAM AND BIH SEEMS AT ODDS WITH THE REST OF OUR MESSAGE (REF), WHICH STATES THAT THE FOCUS OF PC MEETINGS SHOULD BE MAP-SPECIFIC, NOT ON ACTIVITIES WITH NON-CHARTER PARTNERS OR ON POLITICAL DECLARATIONS. WE SUGGESTED THAT INCLUDING THE SAM AND BIH MINISTERS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE A3 STATES TO SHOW LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION FOR NATO\'S SHARED GOALS.

2. (SBU) ON MAY 10, SIMUNOVIC PHONED FROM BUCHAREST TO SAY THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED OUR PROPOSAL WITH HIS MACEDONIAN COLLEAGUE (POLDIR MIRA KRAJACIC) AND WOULD PROPOSE THAT A SEPARATE MEETING ON THE MARGINS OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER EVENT INCLUDING THE THREE \"A3\" FOREIGN MINISTERS WITH THE SAM AND BIH FOREIGN MINISTERS. HE REMAINED CONVINCED THAT FULL ENGAGEMENT OF THE MINISTERS IN THE COMMISSION\'S ACTIVITIES WOULD BE DISTRACTING AND WOULD DETRACT FROM THE POTENTIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE COMMISSION MEETING. HE SAID HE CONTINUES TO BELIEVE THAT THE ADRIATIC CHARTER SHOULD BE ABOUT PROGRESS TOWARDS MAP; \"THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO REGIONAL COOPERATION.\" WE THANKED HIM FOR THE PROPOSAL, AND SAID WE WOULD RELAY ANY WASHINGTON REACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

COMMENT
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3. (C) SIMUNOVIC HAS A POINT: THE INCLUSION OF THE BIH AND SAM FOREIGN MINISTERS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE MEETING WOULD LIKELY MOVE THE AGENDA AWAY FROM MAP. BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER REASONS FOR CROATIAN FM ZUZUL TO BE LESS THAN EAGER TO MEET SAM FM VUK DRASKOVIC. DRASKOVIC HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY SAM PRESIDENT MAROVIC TO CROATIA ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ZAGREB. AFTER CROATIA\'S TOP NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED A LENGTHY INTERVIEW WITH DRASKOVIC CONTAINING SEVERAL STATEMENTS CONSIDERED BY MANY IN ZAGREB TO BE INFLAMMATORY, DRASKOVIC WAS \"DISINVITED\" BY PRESIDENT MESIC. ZUZUL IS SCHEDULED TO TRAVEL TO BELGRADE TO MEET DRASKOVIC SHORTLY AFTER THE ADRIATIC PARTNERSHIP MEETING. SIMUNOVIC, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF CROATIA\'S PR CAMPAIGN TO BUILD POPULAR SUPPORT FOR NATO, WOULD PROBABLY RATHER NOT HAVE THE ZUZUL-DRASKOVIC MEETING DISPLACE THE ADRIATIC CHARTER MINISTERIAL FROM THE ZAGREB HEADLINES.
FRANK