CROATIAN MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH S/WCI AMBASSADOR

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000048 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/WCI (PROSPER),EUR/PA/PD (HORNUBCKLE); INR/R/MR, PA-R/MR, EUR/SCE (NARDI),DRL BELGRADE AND SARAJEVO FOR POL AND PAO THE HAGUE FOR JOHNSON/KAYE/WHEATON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: HR KPAO KAWC PREL PGOV KMDR SUBJECT: CROATIAN MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH S/WCI AMBASSADOR PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER REF: ZAGREB 00014 ¶1. PER REFTEL, ZAGREB REPORTED ON REACTIONS IN THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00048 091550Z CROATIAN PRESS ON THE JANUARY 2 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE UPCOMING VISIT OF S/WCI AMBASSADOR PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER'S VISIT TO THE REGION. TWO MAJOR CROATIAN DAILIES ON JANUARY 9 CARRIED INTERVIEWS WITH AMBASSADOR PROSPER. ¶2. ZAGREB-BASED GOVERNMENT-OWNED "VJESNIK" CARRIED THE INTERVIEW BY FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT BRUNO LOPANDIC ON PAGE 3 UNDER THE HEADLINE "AMERICA WILL ASSIST CROATIAN JUDICIARY ONCE THE 'BOBETKO CASE' IS RESOLVED." IN THE INTERVIEW, AMBASSADOR PROSPER STATED THAT HE STILL DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE OF HIS TRIP TO THE REGION, BUT THAT HE THOUGHT IT WOULD OCCUR IN THE "LAST TWO WEEKS IN JANUARY." HE ALSO COMMENTED THAT "WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE SITUATION IN THE REGION, ONE HAS TO CONCLUDE THAT CROATIA IS THE LEADER IN FULFILLING ITS INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. HOWEVER, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS IS THAT THERE ARE STILL A FEW OBSTACLES. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ARREST OF ANTE GOTOVINA AND HIS TRANSFER TO THE HAGUE, AND THE 'BOBETKO CASE.' ... THE KEY MESSAGE WOULD BE THAT CROATIA HAS UP UNTIL NOW BEEN THE REGIONAL LEADER, AND IT SHOULD REMAIN THAT WAY. LET'S WORK TOGETHER IN RESOLVING THE REMAINING ISSUES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND LEAVING THE ISSUE OF WAR CRIMES BEHIND US." ASKED TO COMMENT ON SUSPENSION OF U.S. ASSISTANCE TO THE CROATIAN JUDICIARY, AMBASSADOR PROSPER NOTED THAT "ONCE THE 'BOBETKO CASE' IS RESOLVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES AND SPIRIT OF COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL, WE WILL ONCE AGAIN GET INVOLVED IN WHAT WE HAD ANNOUNCED." UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00048 091550Z ¶3. ZAGREB-BASED MASS-CIRCULATION "VECERNJI LIST," ON THE OTHER HAND, CARRIED THE INTERVIEW AS ITS FRONT-PAGE HEADLINE "BOBETKO AND GOTOVINA MUST GO TO THE HAGUE." THE INTERVIEW BY "VECERNJI LIST" U.S. CORRESPONDENT, JADRANKA JURESKO-KERO, APPEARS ON PAGE 3. AMBASSADOR PROSPER STATED FOR "VECERNJI LIST" THAT HE IS "COMING TO ZAGREB WITH SINCERE INTENTIONS TO, TOGETHER WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL, TRY TO FINALLY RESOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE PILED UP, AND THUS ONCE AND FOR ALL LEAVE THE STORY BEHIND US. I CLAIM THAT THE PROBLEMS CAN BE RESOLVED QUICKLY, IF WE ALL WANT (THEM TO BE RESOLVED). ... MY COMMENTARY IN CONNECTION WITH GENERALS BOBETKO AND GOTOVINA IS UNAMBIGUOUS, AND I WILL PERSONALLY PASS IT ON TO THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE CROATIAN PEOPLE, AND IT IS THE FOLLOWING: LET'S RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE WE ASSESS THAT THE WAITING PERIOD HAS EXPIRED, AND THAT'S WHY WE JOINTLY HAVE TO FIND A FAVORABLE SOLUTION BEFORE THIS STORY HURTS CROATIA EVEN MORE.." ASKED TO COMMENT ON WHETHER THE FACT THAT CROATIA IS IN AN ELECTION YEAR HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE U.S. INSISTING ON RESOLVING THE BOBETKO AND GOTOVINA CASES, AMBASSADOR PROSPER SAID: "WE KNOW THAT THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR ELECTIONS TO BE HELD DURING THIS YEAR OR AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE I CAN TALK ABOUT, OR SOMETHING MY COUNTRY MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT. OUR STANDPOINT IS THAT THE PROSECUTION SHOULD FINISH WITH ITS ACTIVITIES IN 2003, AND START BRINGING ALL OPEN ISSUES TO CONCLUSION." IN AN INSERT, AMBASSADOR PROSPER COMMENTS ON U.S.-CROATIAN BILATERAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 00048 091550Z RELATIONS AND SAYS THAT ALL HIS COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE "IN GOOD SPIRIT AND WITH THE WISH TO HELP CROATIA IN ITS DEMOCRACY BUILDING PATH TOWARDS BECOMING A STABLE PARTNER IN THE REGION." ¶4. "VECERNJI LIST" ALSO REPORTED THAT AMBASSADOR PROSPER SPOKE TO THE BELGRADE-BASED "TANJUG" NEWS AGENCY AND STATED THAT HE DIDN'T REVEAL "WHETHER HE WILL, DURING HIS VISITS TO BELGRADE, ZAGREB, AND SARAJEVO, ONCE AGAIN INSIST ON THE SIGNING OF BILATERAL AGREEMENTS ON NON-EXTRADITION OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO THE PERMANENT WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL." MOON UNCLASSIFIED >