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

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