CROATIA'S UNGA PRIORITIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001592

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2014
TAGS: PREL ECON PHUM KDEM AORC HR NATO
SUBJECT: CROATIA'S UNGA PRIORITIES

REF: A) ZAGREB 1443 B) STATE 152009

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

Summary and Comment
--------------


1. (C): We followed up on reftel A with Ranko Vilovic,
Director of the Office for UN Affairs in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Vilovic said that Prime Minister Ivo
Sanader would lead the Croatian delegation to UNGA, although
the final composition had not been approved. He said Croatia
would focus on the Secretary General's agenda for responding
to global threats and challenges and reform of the UN.
Croatia is likely to follow the EU lead at this UNGA session.
However, on issues where there is no EU consensus position
) e.g. Security Council expansion ) Croatia will be more
amenable to U.S. lobbying. End Summary and Comment.


2. (C) CROATIA'S UNGA TEAM: The MFA's Director for UN Affairs
Ranko Vilovic told us on Sept. 3 that Prime Minister Ivo
Sanader would lead the Croatian delegation to UNGA. The
final composition of the delegation did not have final
approval yet, but Vilovic said that the following people
would most likely join the PM on Croatia's UNGA team:

Miomir Zuzul ) Foreign Minister
Bianka Matkovic ) State Secretary and Chief of Staff to the
Prime Minister
Miroslav Kovacic ) State Secretary and Director of the
Government office for e-Croatia
Aleksander Heina ) Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister
Tomislav Vidosevic ) Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
for Multilateral Affairs and International Organizations
Ambassador Neven Jurica ) Ambassador to the U.S.

Possible additions to the team yet to be determined are:

Ivan Suker ) Minister of Finance
Ranko Vilovic ) Director for UN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs


3. (C) CROATIA'S UNGA PRIORITIES: Vilovic provided us with
the preliminary overview of Croatia's priorities for the
coming UNGA. Although these priorities were not yet approved
by his leadership, Vilovic did not expect any major changes.
In priority order, Croatia will focus on:

A) Working to support the Secretary General's initiatives on
responding to global threats and global challenges.

B) Reform of the UN including Security Council reform.
Vilovic said that traditionally Croatia had supported the
German and Japanese proposals for expanding the UNSC P-5 to
10 and adding four or five new non-permanent seats. The GoC
was more interested in expansion of the Security Council than
in addressing the issues of reform of the P-5 veto. Croatia
would support any solution to reform the Council in hopes
that a compromise will emerge.

C) Developing International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
including implementation of UNSCR 1535 or any other
developments in this direction.

D) Post Conflict Management. Croatia has direct experience
and hopes to increase its contributions in this area,
particularly in peacekeeping operations. The GoC would like
to make a high profile effort in this area, particularly in
light of its bid for a UNSC seat for 2009-10.

E) Millenium Declaration. Vilovic said that the GoC's
assessment was that implementation of the Declaration was not
going well and that the 2005 High Level Plenary to assess
progress would not have a good outcome unless implementation
can get back on track. The GoC's first report was getting a
final polishing and would be ready for submission soon.

F) Development issues. The GoC will look to support
initiatives on the Commission for Sustainable Development as
well as forward movement on the Monterrey Consensus.

G) The GoC Human Rights. Croatia's term on the UNHRC is
expiring. However, GoC will support in particular efforts on
UNSCR 1324, the Protocol on Torture, and the Convention on
Rights of Vulnerable Groups.

H) Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Croatia has the Chair
of the Ottawa process and will focus energies there, as well
as on implementing CTBT.

I) ICTY. Vilovic repeated the mantra that GoC is fully
cooperating with The Hague Tribunal and will continue to do

so.
FRANK


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