FM ZUZUL COMMITS TO FULL ICTY COOPERATION,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000181 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE - KABUMOTO, S/WCI - PROSPER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2014 TAGS: KAWC PREL KJUS HR SUBJECT: FM ZUZUL COMMITS TO FULL ICTY COOPERATION, GOTOVINA UPDATE REF: A) ZAGREB 149 B) 03 ZAGREB 2642 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR RALPH FRANK, REASONS 1.5 (B) & (D) ¶1. (C) FULL COOPERATION WITH ICTY: ON JANUARY 28, FOREIGN MINISTER ZUZUL GAVE AMBASSADOR FRANK A READ OUT OF HIS CONVERSATION IN STOCKHOLM EARLIER IN THE WEEK WITH AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR WAR CRIMES ISSUES PIERRE PROSPER. ZUZUL SAID THAT HE HAD COMMITTED THAT THE GOC WOULD "COMPLETELY COOPERATE ON DOCUMENTS" REQUESTED BY THE ICTY. ZUZUL ALSO SAID ALTHOUGH HE HAD NO INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE NEW INDICTMENTS BY THE ICTY, HE HAD COMMITTED TO AMB. PROSPER THAT CROATIA WOULD ACT APPROPRIATELY, EVEN IF IT WOULD LEAD TO STRONG CRITICISM AT HOME. ¶2. (C) SEEKS U.S. ASSISTANCE: FM ZUZUL SAID THAT HE HAD ASKED AMB. PROSPER FOR U.S. ASSISTANCE TO HELP CROATIA DEVELOP ITS DOMESTIC CAPABILITIES TO PROSECUTE WAR CRIMES CASES. ZUZUL ALSO SAID HE WOULD WELCOME A VISIT TO CROATIA BY AMB. PROSPER, BUT HAD NO PREFERENCE AS TO TIMING. ¶3. (C) GOTOVINA: ZUZUL TOLD AMB. FRANK THAT HE HAD HEARD THAT U.S.-BASED ADVISORS TO ICTY INDICTEE ANTE GOTOVINA WERE ADVISING GOTOVINA TO WAIT OUT THE ICTY CLOSURE STRATEGY. HOWEVER, ZUZUL SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOC WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH GOTOVINA, IT WAS READY TO NEGOTIATE CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO FACILITATE GOTOVINA'S MOVEMENT TO THE HAGUE. HE NOTED THAT THE ICTY HAD AGREED TO SEND SOMEONE TO ZAGREB MEET WITH GOTOVINA PRIOR TO HIS PROCEEDING ON TO THE HAGUE. ZUZUL ALSO SAID THAT THE GOC WOULD PROVIDE GOTOVINA WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, AS IT HAD WITH OTHER INDICTEES, AND WOULD PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO GOTOVINA'S FAMILY. FRANK NNNN