Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ZAGREB621
2003-03-19 09:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

TFIZ01: DEMARCHES ON UNGA AND CHR SESSIONS: GOC REPLY IS

Tags:  PREL PGOV IZ HR UNSC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000621 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2008
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ HR UNSC
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: DEMARCHES ON UNGA AND CHR SESSIONS: GOC REPLY IS
"CAUTIOUS"

REF: A. STATE 70678


B. STATE 70649

C. ZAGREB 615

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY NICHOLAS HILL, POL/ECON COUNSELOR,
FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000621

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2008
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ HR UNSC
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: DEMARCHES ON UNGA AND CHR SESSIONS: GOC REPLY IS
"CAUTIOUS"

REF: A. STATE 70678


B. STATE 70649

C. ZAGREB 615

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY NICHOLAS HILL, POL/ECON COUNSELOR,
FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) DCM DELIVERED MARCH 18 REFTEL DEMARCHES TO MARIO
NOBILO, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER FOR MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS.
DCM EXPLAINED THE U.S. DECISION NOT TO SEEK ANOTHER UNSC
RESOLUTION AND URGED THAT THE GOC NOT SUPPORT HOLDING AN UNGA
EMERGENCY SESSION ON IRAQ NOR USE THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN
RIGHTS FOR DISCUSSING THE CURRENT SITUATION CONCERNING IRAQ.
NOBILO SAID HE UNDERSTOOD OUR POSITION, AND SAID THE GOC
WOULD BE "CAUTIOUS" ABOUT USING THESE VENUES, ALTHOUGH HE
AGREED THAT THE UNCHR WOULD NOT BE AN APPROPRIATE FORUM.
CROATIA DID NOT WANT TO SEE FURTHER HARM TO THE UN.


2. (C) IN DISCUSSING REFTELS, NOBILO STATED THE GOC'S
DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE U.S. HAD DECIDED TO WORK "OUTSIDE"
THE SECURITY COUNCIL CONTEXT. HE SAID HE HOPED A WAR WOULD
BE SHORT AND THAT LOSS OF LIFE WOULD BE MINIMIZED. HE SAID
THE GOC WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT A CONFLICT WOULD CONTRIBUTE
TO A SPREAD OF TERRORISM. THE ASSISTANT MINISTER ADDED THAT
HE HOPED CROATIA WOULD BE A "PARTNER" IN POST CONFLICT
INSTITUTION BUILDING.


3. (C) THE DCM UNDERSCORED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH PRESS
REPORTS EARLIER ON MARCH 18 INDICATING THAT, IN ANNOUNCING
THAT HIS MARCH 18-19 TRIP TO LONDON HAD BEEN CANCELLED, PRIME
MINISTER RACAN HAD SAID TO THE PRESS THAT CROATIA AND THE UK
OBVIOUSLY WERE "NOT ON THE SAME SIDE" (REF C). FURTHERMORE,
THE PM HOPED THE U.S. WOULD "UNDERSTAND" THE GOC'S POSITION.
THE DCM SAID THAT, IN FACT, THE U.S. DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE
GOC POSITION; WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT CROATIA HAD
FAILED TO JOIN THE COALITION TO DISARM IRAQ. MOREOVER, WE
HOPED THAT PM RACAN DID NOT MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT CROATIA AND
THE UK WERE NOT ON THE SAME SIDE VIS-A-VIS THE IRAQ REGIME.


4. (C) NOBILO RESPONDED THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN TRANSCRIPTS OF
EXACTLY WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER SAID. THE KEY PROBLEM FOR
RACAN WAS THAT ALL THE FOCUS OF A LONDON VISIT WOULD HAVE
BEEN ON IRAQ, AND CLEARLY CROATIA HAD A DIFFERENT VIEW.
INDEED, IF RACAN HAD TRAVELLED TO LONDON, NOBILO FEARED, THE
"ENTIRE DISCUSSION" WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER IRAQ. (WE LEARNED
SEPARATELY FROM UK SOURCES THAT THE IRAQ SITUATION MEANT THE
BRITISH COULD NOT GUARANTEE RACAN A MEETING WITH PM BLAIR.)
ROSSIN

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