Cablegate: Zagreb Daily Activity Report: January 14, 2010

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PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0031 0141117
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141117Z JAN 10 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9811
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000031

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT: JANUARY 14, 2010

1. (U) SLOVENIA POISED TO LIFT RESERVATIONS ON TWO CHAPTERS:
Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and his Croatian
counterpart Jadranka Kosor said January 14 they were ready to
clear the way for Zagreb's EU membership talks next month.
"My wish is that, by the next EU-Croatia accession conference
in February, we can solve at least two of the three open
issues," Pahor said in a joint statement issued after meeting
with Kosor in Slovenia. At the last EU accession conference
with Croatia in December, Slovenia continued to block the
opening of three chapters -- on environment, fisheries, and
foreign and defense policy. Pahor did not state which of the
three chapters it would be possible to open, but Croatian
media is speculating that it would be chapter 13 on fisheries
and chapter 27 on the environment. The two leaders also
announced a joint commission that would be set up to propose
solutions to all other "open" bilateral issues that relate to
Croatia's EU bid. "I believe important steps will be made by
the conference on February 19. We will work hard for that
and I'm convinced we will achieve results," Kosor told
journalists.

2. (U) CROATIAN DEMINER DIES: The Croatian Center for
Demining (HCR) told the press that a Croatian responsible for
clearing mines died on January 13 while clearing a mined area
in the southern Zadar region. A HCR representative told the
media that the deminer was the deputy chief for the demining
program in this zone and did not specify the cause of death.
According to radio reports, an anti-personnel mine killed the
man.
FOLEY

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