INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Zagreb Activity Report - August 15

Published: Thu 14 Aug 2008 04:29 PM
VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHVB #0601 2271629
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADC6FFB5 MSI3841-695)
P 141629Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8567
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000601
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA
OSD FOR POPOVICH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ELTN PHUM MARR MASS HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB ACTIVITY REPORT - AUGUST 15
1. (SBU) CROATIA MOVES AHEAD WITH GLOBAL PEACE OPERATIONS
INITIATIVE: The Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
confirmed this week Croatia's willingness to accept the terms
and conditions for the Global Peace Operations Initiative
(GPOI). This will allow the GOC to move ahead on receiving
up to $1,000,000 in articles and services in FY08 to improve
peacekeeping capabilities for its peacekeeping missions
around the world, including ISAF. (PD'Amico)
2. (SBU) UNHCR REPORTS THAT DESTRUCTION OF SERB HOUSES
EXAGGERATED IN PRESS: According to the UNHCR, recent press
reports have exaggerated accounts of the destruction of
recently renovated Croatian-Serb houses in the Zadar region.
While some minimal vandalism has occurred, the UNHCR reported
that all of the vandalized houses were empty and located in
isolated areas; moreover it was unlikely that police could
have done any more to protect them. The Prime Minister's
office subsequently condemned the vandalism and requested a
police investigation. According to the UNHCR, this story
might have been generated to prod government officials to
visit the areas and discuss issues regarding returning
refugees. (CZimmer)
3. (U) GOC REFUSES SERBIA'S REQUEST FOR MORE TRANSPORT
LICENSES TO PUSH RESOLUTION OF DISPUTE: A spokesperson at the
Croatian Ministry of Transport (MoT) confirmed that Croatia
has, for the time being, refused a request from Serbia for
12,000 additional transport licenses (beyond its yearly quota
of 45,000) in order to push the resolution of a preexisting
dispute. The press reports that in response, Serbia will ban
Croatian trucks from transporting goods in Serbia, effective
August 15, although the MoT has received no official
notification word of this action from the GOS. The dispute
originated in a disagreement between Bora Kekic, a Serbian
transport company, and Koncar, a major Croatian energy and
transport company over the transport of Koncar transformers
to ElektroMreza Serbia. The Serbian Ministry of
Infrastructure is trying to resolve the issue but until the
transformers can be transported, the Croatian ministry will
not approve the additional licenses. (SLitke)
4. (U) CROATIAN MEDIA ANALYSIS OF THE GEORGIA CRISIS: The
Croatian MFA issued a statement on August 10 expressing "deep
concern over the recent armed conflicts and the deterioration
of the situation in Georgia's regions of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia" and joined the EU statement on the issue. Some
Croatian media have criticized the GOC for being slow to take
a stand and explain its position on the conflict. In an
August 13 radio interview, President Mesic said he believed
Croatia "should show restraint" and added that the facts must
first be determined before Croatia takes its final position.
Additionally, Croatian web news portals are reporting on the
arrival of U.S. humanitarian assistance. (KWetzel)
Bradtke
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media