CROATIA LIKELY TO ABSTAIN ON ISRAELI SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001299

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE - KABUMOTO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2014
TAGS: PREL IS HR UNGA ICJ
SUBJECT: CROATIA LIKELY TO ABSTAIN ON ISRAELI SECURITY
BARRIER RESOLUTION

REF: STATE 152014

Classified By: PolOff Justin Friedman, reasons 1.5 (b) & (d)


1. (C) Embassy delivered reftel demarche on July 13 to Ranko
Vilovic, Head of the United Nations Department, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Vilovic responded that there has been no
change in the GoC position on the barrier since it abstained
from the resolution referring the issue to the ICJ. Vilovic
said that Croatia shared U.S. concerns about whether this
issue should have been sent to the ICJ as well as on the
legal merits of the ICJ opinion. That said, the GoC also
shares our view that ICJ opinion is not binding.


2. (C) Vilovic stressed that the GoC would continue to
support the Road Map and a balanced approach to Middle East
issues. Vilovic had just returned from New York, where he
said that he sensed that the language on the Israeli Security
Barrier resolution was still in flux. As an EU candidate,
Croatia would look to the EU and consider changing its
position if a different EU consensus emerges.
FRANK


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