Cablegate: Families of the Missing Request Assistance

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: DECL: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: FAMILIES OF THE MISSING REQUEST ASSISTANCE

1. THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE -- SEE PARA 3.

2. ON JUNE 28 AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH MET WITH ZELENKA
FARKAS, REPRESENTING THE CENTER FOR PROTECTION OF THE
HUMAN RIGHTS OF IMPRISONED AND MISSING CROATIAN CITIZENS
AND THEIR FAMILIES. FARKAS SOUGHT EMBASSY ASSISTANCE IN
RESOLVING THE FATE OF 2,865 PEOPLE STILL MISSING FROM THE
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PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02456 291416Z
WAR, AND PARTICULARLY THE JNA SIEGE OF VUKOVAR IN 1991.
THE CENTER HAS COMPILED LISTS OF MISSING PERSONS,
INCLUDING DATES AND LOCATION OF CAPTURE, AND HAS SUBMITTED
THE DATA TO THE UN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENEVA.
FARKAS SAID, HOWEVER, THAT SO FAR THEIR APPEALS TO THE UN
FOR ASSISTANCE HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED. FARKAS' GROUP HAS
ALSO SENT AN APPEAL TO SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
REQUESTING THAT FRY AUTHORITIES PROVIDE INFORMATION ON
WHETHER INDIVIDUALS ARE ALIVE OR DEAD. THE AMBASSADOR
STRESSED THAT THERE IS LITTLE THE EMBASSY CAN DO BEYOND
PROVIDING MORAL SUPPORT, BUT SAID THAT WE ARE STILL
WORKING FOR UN ACCESS TO SUSPECTED MASS GRAVE SITES IN
SECTOR EAST AND CONTINUE TO PRESS AUTHORITIES IN KNIN FOR
INFORMATION. HE SAID THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT OFFICIALS
IN SECTOR EAST OR BELGRADE WOULD COME FORWARD WITH AN
ACCOUNTING OF THE MISSING BECAUSE THEY WOULD IMPLICATE
THEMSELVES IN WAR CRIMES.

3. FOR USUN: POST REQUESTS THAT USUN CONSIDER RAISING THE
ISSUE OF THE MISSING IN CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND
HERCEGOVINA, PERHAPS IN A UNSC PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT.
THIS WOULD FOCUS ATTENTION ON A COMPELLING HUMANITARIAN
PROBLEM AND BE OF COMFORT TO FAMILIES WHO FEEL THEIR
CONCERNS ARE FORGOTTEN. IT WOULD ALSO KEEP ATTENTION
FOCUSED ON WAR CRIMES, WITH SOME PRESUMED DETERRENT
BENEFIT.

GALBRAITH

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