CHR 59 -- CROATIA WAIVERS ON LIBYAN CHAIRMANSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000082 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2013 TAGS: PHUM HR LY UNHRC LZ SUBJECT: CHR 59 -- CROATIA WAIVERS ON LIBYAN CHAIRMANSHIP REF: A. SECSTATE 5849 ¶B. 2001 ZAGREB 3086 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL) ¶C. ZAGREB 72 (NOTAL) CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF MITCH BENEDICT FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D CHR 59 -- LIBYA -------------- ¶1. (C) CHARGE DELIVERED CHR DEMARCHE (REF A) ON JANUARY 10 TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00082 131714Z ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER MARIO NOBILO. NOBILIO, WHO WAS ALREADY AWARE OF OUR EFFORTS ON THE ISSUE, STATED THAT THE GOC HAS NOT TAKEN A FINAL DECISION, BUT FULLY AGREED THAT LIBYA HAS AN ATROCIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. HE CAUTIONED, HOWEVER, THAT ECONOMICALLY THE TIMING COULD NOT BE WORSE. CROATIA-LIBYA BILATERAL RELATIONS, IN PARTICULAR ON TRADE ISSUES, ARE DEVELOPING ON A HOST OF FRONTS. MENTIONED AS FRONT-BURNER ISSUES -- IN ADDITION TO SHIPBUILDING (REF B) -- WAS OIL, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. NOBILO, WHILE STRESSING THAT WE SHARE A COMMON ASSESSMENT OF LIBYA'S SUITABILITY AS CHAIR, HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE REAL CHALLENGE FACING THE CHR IS PROCEDURAL AND STRUCTURAL REFORM. (COMMENT: WE SUSPECT THAT, IN THE END, CROATIA WILL SUPPORT THE EU POSITION IN GENEVA. END COMMENT) COMMENT ON IRAQ -------------- ¶2. (U) IN A SIDE COLLOQUY, THE DCM REMARKED POSITIVELY ON THE MFA'S JANUARY 9 PRESS RELEASE ON IRAQ (REF C). NOBILO REITERATED CROATIA'S DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS A PARTNER IN THE ANTI-TERROR COALITION, ADDING THAT SMALL SHIFTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM ARE LIKELY TO HAVE LARGE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS ON CROATIA. ROSSIN CONFIDENTIAL >