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Cablegate: Zagreb Daily Activity Report: January 19, 2010

Published: Wed 20 Jan 2010 01:53 PM
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201353Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9837
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS ZAGREB 000044
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ENRG HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT: JANUARY 19, 2010
1. (U) HUNGARIAN PM HIGHLIGHTS RELATIONS ON ENERGY DURING
VISIT TO CROATIA: Hungarian PM Bajnai visited Croatia on
January 18, the first prime minister to visit Croatian Prime
Minister Jadranka Kosor since she took office. The main
topic of their meeting was energy, and both expressed hope
that the recently begun Hungary-Croatian gas pipeline would
be completed by the end of 2010. Bajnai is also reportedly
concerned that Croatia take the steps necessary, including
proceeding with construction of the LNG terminal, that would
ensure the long-term diversification of energy supplies for
the region.
2. (SBU) CROATIANS HOST MEETING TO PREPARE FOR MINISTERIAL
MEETING ON REFUGEE ISSUES: The Croatian MFA on January 15
hosted "expert level" talks with Serbia, BiH, and Montenegro
to discuss plans for an eventual Ministerial-level conference
in Belgrade sometime later this year on remaining refugee
issues between the states. At the end of their sessions,
they debriefed representatives from the UNHCR, OSCE, and EU.
According to UNHCR sources, the Zagreb meetings had a better
atmosphere than the December session in Belgrade, and all
sides continue to support holding a Ministerial when an
agenda can be agreed. A follow on meeting is to be held in
Sarajevo in February, with the specific date to be
determined. It is not clear, however, that the sides made
much progress on establishing the substance for a Ministerial
agenda. The one point all sides did agree on was to begin a
process before the Ministerial to review the statistics on
how many refugees in which situations still remain, since the
sides have varying figures. UNHCR is preparing a paper with
thoughts on how to define criteria of who qualifies to still
be considered a refugee.
3. (U) AMB FOLEY EXPLAINS U.S. POLICY FOR AFGHANISTAN ON
CROATIAN NATIONAL TELEVISION: Ambassador James Foley
discussed U.S. foreign policy goals in Afghanistan on
Croatian National Television (HRT) weekly foreign affairs
magazine on January 17. The entire program was dedicated to
Afghanistan and included an interview from Kabul with an
Afghan government spokesperson. Ambassador Foley emphasized
core elements of the U.S. strategy to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and the border areas of
Pakistan, including military efforts to create the conditions
for a transition to an Afghan led civilian and military
operation, increases in civilian personnel that will help
build Afghan capacity in key areas, and our desire to have a
broad and long term partnership with Pakistan's civilian
government. He also praised Croatia's contributions to ISAF,
and their focus on building the capacity of Afghanistan's
security forces. The program received positive coverage in
other Croatian press as well.
FOLEY
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