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Cablegate: Croatia Supports Psi

Published: Tue 7 Oct 2003 03:36 PM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ZAGREB 002173
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NP AND T
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL PHSA PBTS HR NATO
SUBJECT: CROATIA SUPPORTS PSI
REF: A. ZAGREB 2047
B. STATE 272470
1. On September 18, at a meeting with representatives of
embassies of all eleven PSI states, Croatia's Foreign
Ministry made an informal declaration of support for PSI
principles, but asked questions about the legal framework for
PSI and about plans for PSI infrastructure (ref a). After
receipt of additional information (ref b), Croatia's Foreign
Ministry delivered a formal paper on October 7 (full text at
para 2 below) in which it declares full support for the
initiative, readiness to cooperate with PSI states and seeks
to participate in PSI exercises in the Mediterranean.
2. Begin text of Croatian paper on PSI
POSITION-PAPER ON PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE
The Republic of Croatia as a democratic and peace-oriented
country is deeply engaged in both regional and global
disarmament and non-proliferation issues. The intensifying of
transnational threats throughout Europe and elsewhere, global
terrorism, organized crime as well as refugee crises,
narcotics smuggling, trafficking in human beings and illegal
migrations have had both a direct and indirect influence on
the national security of Croatia. Being situated in an area
where some smuggling routes from Asia, Africa and Eastern
Europe converge and cross into Western Europe, Croatia has
recognized this potential threat and is making it an
imperative to combat. For this reason, strengthening and
raising the efficiency of Croatia's border management and
security system is amongst the priorities for the Government.
Croatia adopted a Law on the Production, Maintenance and
Trafficking of Arms and Military Equipment, and the Control
of Export of Dual Use Goods Act is ready to enter the
parliamentary procedure. Croatian Government has on 9 May
2002 accepted the criteria contained in the EU Code of
Conduct for Arms Exports.
With regard to weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation
on an international level, Croatia is a party to and active
participant in all the major international conventions
dealing with WMD. This includes the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); the Convention on the
Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons; the Convention
on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Also, Croatia works closely
with the International Atomic Energy Agency on many issues in
its sphere of responsibility, such as with the
implementations of the Convention on the Physical Protection
of Nuclear Material.
Annex III Lists 1, 2 and 3 of the Ordinance on Goods Subject
to Import and Export Licensing regulates the issuance of
import/export licenses for goods which fall under the list of
substances relating to the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical
Weapons and on their Destruction. Import/export licenses for
substances included in the above mentioned lists are granted
by the Ministry of Economy.
As a State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and in accordance with the Protocol
Additional to the Agreement between the Republic of Croatia
and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the
Application of Safeguards in connection with the NPT (Annex
II) and the Decree on Goods Subject to Import and Export
Licensing, the import and export of nuclear materials and
specified equipment on nuclear materials or the use of
nuclear materials are subject to licensing. Import/export
licenses for these materials and equipment are issued by the
Ministry of Economy.
Unfortunately, as September 11 has proved, not all WMD
threats involve the use of chemical/biological/nuclear
weapons. To combat these threats we believe that all
necessary efforts should be put into establishing much closer
interstate cooperation between partner countries, especially
in the exchange of real-time information. Timely exchange of
information could have a decisive effect on possible
terrorist activities. Croatia's firm position is that only
through working together with its partners and allies can the
spread of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and other WMD
delivery systems be fought effectively.
Taking into account all stated above, Croatia fully supports
the work of Proliferation Security Initiative as described in
the non-paper presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on
18 September 2003 by the representatives of Australia,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Spain, UK and USA.
Croatia is ready to cooperate with the countries participants
of PSI within the scope of the Initiative and in accordance
with the national legislation and international law.
Croatia has so far been exchanging information with its
partners regarding the proliferation of weapons through its
territory and will continue to observe possible "suspicious"
cargos in its ports, seas, roads or airspace.
Croatia has interest to participate in the exercises within
the PSI as an observer state. We are especially interested in
the activities planned to take place in the Mediterranean
Sea.
End text.
FRANK
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