MESIC ON REFUGEE RETURNS

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002063 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF HR YI SUBJECT: MESIC ON REFUGEE RETURNS REF: A. (A) BELGRADE 2248 ¶B. (B) ZAGREB 2004 ¶1. (SBU) WE READ WITH INTEREST REFTEL A IN WHICH SAM FOREIGN MINISTER GORAN SVILANOVIC SAID HE WELCOMED THE INITIATIVE OF CROATIAN PRESIDENT STIPE MESIC FOR A TRIPARTITE MEETING OF CROATIA, BOSNIA, AND THE SAM TO TAKE UP REFUGEE ISSUES. ¶2. (SBU) SINCE THE SUBJECT HAD NOT COME UP IN OUR FIRST READ OUT OF THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT'S SEPTEMBER 10 VISIT TO BELGRADE (REF B),WE ASKED MESIC'S ASSISTANT FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR, TOMISLAV CAR, ABOUT IT AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 22. HE CONFIRMED THAT, YES, THE SUBJECT CAME UP, BUT ONLY VERY BRIEFLY. WHEN MESIC RAISED THE IDEA, SAM PRESIDENT MAROVIC AND FOREIGN MINISTER SVILANOVIC AGREED THAT REFUGEES SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE THREE COUNTRIES. BUT CAR, WHO ACCOMPANIED MESIC ON THE TRIP, SAID THERE WAS NOTHING BEYOND A FEW ANODYNE WORDS ON THE SUBJECT. ACCORDING TO THE MESIC STAFFER, THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW UP WHATSOEVER TO REVIVE THE IDEA SINCE PRESIDENT MESIC RETURNED TO ZAGREB. ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: A TRIPARTITE SUMMIT WOULD BE SENSITIVE POLITICALLY IN CROATIA. WITH THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT FACING ELECTIONS AS EARLY AS NOVEMBER, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT PRESIDENT MESIC TO PUSH FOR A MEETING ANYTIME SOON. MOON NNNN