CROATIA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON UNDC

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000366 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PARM PREL HR UNDC CDG SUBJECT: CROATIA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON UNDC REF: STATE 39091 ¶1. POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL TO DRAZEN HRASTIC, HEAD OF THE COOPERATIVE SECURITY AND ARMS CONTROL AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ON FEBRUARY 25. ON FEBRUARY 27, HRASTIC PROVIDED US WITH THE NON-PAPER RESPONSE IN PARA 2 SUPPORTING THE U.S. POSITION. HRASTIC SAID THAT THE CROATIAN MISSION TO THE UN HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SUPPORT THE U.S. POSITION USING THE SAME NON-PAPER. ¶2. BEGIN TEXT CROATIA NON-PAPER: ¶A. CROATIA IS FOLLOWING WITH MARKED INTEREST MANY EXISTING PROPOSALS FOR ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND STREAMLINING THE WORK OF UNITED NATIONS DISARMAMENT BODIES, INCLUDING THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY,S FIRST COMMITTEE, THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT IN GENEVA AS WELL AS THE UNITED NATIONS DISARMAMENT COMMISSION. ¶B. CROATIA WAS AMONG THE CO-SPONSORS OF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 58/41 ON THE REFORM OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE. ¶C. WITH REGARD TO THE UN DISARMAMENT COMMISSION (UNDC), CROATIA HAS GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO PROPOSALS ON REFORM OF AND STRENGTHENING THE WORKING METHODS OF THE UNDC, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW SECURITY THREATS OF THE 2LST CENTURY. CROATIA ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE WORK OF THE UNDC, GIVEN ITS ROLE AS A UNIVERSAL MULTILATERAL BODY IN THE FIELD OF DISARMAMENT. ¶D. CROATIA EXPRESSED ITS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE UNDC,S FAILURE TO ACHIEVE PROGRESS AT ITS MEETING IN 2003. CROATIA REGRETS THAT THE REASONS WHICH LED TO THIS FAILURE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED. ¶E. CROATIA IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN CONSULTATIONS ON CONFIRMING TWO AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS YEAR,S SESSION OF THE UNDC, IN LINE WITH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 58/67. ¶F. GIVEN THE OPPOSING VIEWS ON WHICH ITEMS SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE UNDC AGENDA, CROATIA CAN IN PRINCIPLE SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE NON-PAPER PRESENTED BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES ON DEVOTING THIS YEAR,S SESSION OF THE UNDC TO AN APPRAISAL OF THE UNUC ITSELF. CROATIA REMAINS HOPEFUL THAT THIS PROPOSAL CAN GAIN CONSENSUAL SUPPORT IN THE UNDC. ¶G. CROATIA WELCOMES ALL PROPOSALS WHICH AIM TO FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE UNDC. CROATIA BELIEVES THAT FAILURE TO ATTAIN AGREEMENT ON AN AGENDA FOR THE UNDC IN 2004 WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT NOT ONLY FOR THE FUTURE WORK OF THE UNDC, BUT ALSO OTHER UNITED NATIONS DISARMAMENT BODIES. ¶H. CROATIA SHALL CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PURSUING AN ADEQUATE SOLUTION TO THESE ABOVE MENTIONED QUESTIONS. END TEXT NON-PAPER. FRANK NNNN