RACVIAC GOES ON, THANKFULLY WITHOUT US

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 002162 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AC/CAC (PHELAN, YOUNG) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2013 TAGS: PARM PREL HR SUBJECT: RACVIAC GOES ON, THANKFULLY WITHOUT US REF: STATE 269520 CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (U) THE U.S. IS NO LONGER A MEMBER OF THE RACVIAC MULTINATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP (MAG). AT THE SEPTEMBER 23-24 MAG MEETING IN ZAGREB, WE DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS OBJECTING TO THE COURSE LAID OUT IN RACVIAC'S MID-TERM STRATEGY PAPER AND ANNOUNCING THE U.S. DEPARTURE FROM THE MAG WHILE "WISHING RACVIAC WELL." THE MID-TERM STRATEGY WAS APPROVED, AS WAS THE 2004 COURSE PROGRAM WHICH DEPARTS SIGNIFICANTLY FROM RACVIAC'S TRADITIONAL ARMS-CONTROL-ONLY MENU OF OFFERINGS. MAG MEMBERS ENDORSED THE DIRECTOR'S CALL FOR INCREASED AUTHORITY TO ADJUST COURSE OFFERINGS WITHOUT PRIOR MAG APPROVAL, BUT WERE HESITANT ABOUT GRANTING HIM THE AUTHORITY TO MANIPULATE THE BUDGET AT WILL. ¶2. (U) THE MAG CONGRATULATED ITSELF ON ITS SUCCESSFUL WEANING FROM TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON GERMANY FOR BUDGET SUPPORT. ALTHOUGH ONE-THIRD OF THE 900,000 EURO BUDGET WILL STILL COME FROM BERLIN, WITH SIGNIFICANT PLEDGES FROM FRANCE, NORWAY, ITALY AND -- THEORETICALLY -- TURKEY, RACVIAC IS FULLY FUNDED FOR 2004. ¶3. (C) THE MAG ENGAGED IN A PROTRACTED, DIVISIVE AND INCONCLUSIVE DEBATE ABOUT THE LEGAL STANDING OF SOME OF ITS FOUNDING DOCUMENTS. THIS DEBATE ENVELOPED AN AGENDA ITEM REGARDING THE STATUS OF MAG OBSERVERS. SOME MAG MEMBERS (INCLUDING AUSTRIA, HUNGARY AND TURKEY) EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BROADENING THE DEFINITION OF OBSERVER TO INCLUDE STATES WHO ARE NOT CONSIDERING MEMBERSHIP, BUT SIMPLY WISH TO KEEP INFORMED ABOUT RACVIAC ACTIVITIES AND CONSIDER MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS (POTENTIALLY THE U.S.). BUT OTHERS, INCLUDING THE UK AND GERMANY, ARGUED THAT MAG OBSERVER STATUS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO STATES CONSIDERING MEMBERSHIP. WHEN AUSTRIA SUGGESTED THAT THE MAG ALTER ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE TO BROADEN THE DEFINITION OF OBSERVERS, GERMANY IN PRACTICAL TERMS VETOED THE PROPOSAL BY CALLING INTO QUESTION THE LEGAL STANDING OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE THEMSELVES. ¶4. (C) NO CLEAR CONSENSUS WAS REACHED DURING THE MAG DISCUSSIONS, BUT RACVIAC DIRECTOR GENERAL PUCHER APPROACHED US AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE MAG AND SAID THAT REGARDLESS OF THE DISCUSSIONS, THEY WOULD SEEK TO DRAFT THE FORMAL MAG CONCLUSIONS IN A MANNER THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE U.S. TO GAIN OBSERVER STATUS. HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT CROATIA WAS PARTICULARLY KEEN FOR THE U.S. TO CONTINUE TO PLAY SOME ROLE IN RACVIAC. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (U) RACVIAC WILL CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITHOUT THE U.S. AS A MAG MEMBER, AND CONSIDERING THE CONFUSION AT THIS LAST MEETING, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE GRATEFUL TO BE OUT OF IT. OBSERVER STATUS WOULD PROBABLY BE USEFUL, HOWEVER, SINCE RACVIAC FACILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES IN WHICH WE HAVE AN INTEREST, LIKE THE STABILITY PACT'S OCTOBER 10 MEETING OF THE REGIONAL STEERING GROUP FOR THE CONTROL OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE. FRANK NNNN