CROATIAN OFFICIALS REACT TO NATO REVIEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000834

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE (ENGLISH) AND EUR/RPM (SHINAGEL)
USNATO FOR BRUCE ROGERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2014
TAGS: PARM PREL HR NATO
SUBJECT: CROATIAN OFFICIALS REACT TO NATO REVIEW

REF: A. USNATO 429


B. ZAGREB 817

Classified By: Poloff A.F.Godfrey for reasons 1.5 (b,d)

Summary
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1. (C) GoC officials were both encouraged and disappointed
with their second annual review by NATO's North Atlantic
Council of Croatia's progress towards membership. They were
encouraged by new optimism about Croatia expressed by many
allies, citing that the International Staff's report noted
progress on tough issues. But GoC officials disheartened by
what they perceived as a new position by the U.S., Croatia's
former champion at NATO. Croatian officials believe the USG
has changed the standard by which it is measuring cooperation
with ICTY. We encouraged Croatia to continue its progress
toward NATO membership, stressed that the U.S. has always
insisted on full cooperation with international obligations
and underscored the U.S. Mission's message at the NAC (ref a)
that the continued fugitive status of ICTY indictee Gotovina
is an obstacle to accession. End Summary.

Croatia reacts to NATO's "Report Card"
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2. (C) Croatia took away mixed messages from its April 30
"26 1" Membership Action Plan (MAP) progress review at NATO's
North Atlantic Council (NAC). In the week following the NAC
meeting, we met with Croatia's MAP coordinator Pjer Simunovic
and with Davor Stier, the lead political officer at Croatia's
mission to NATO. GoC officials were pleased by most allies'
recognition that Croatia was making good progress on
sensitive issues in the political chapter of MAP. They
appreciated the constructive, but tough assessment of the
work the GoC needs to do on defense reform, military
downsizing and restructuring and also on judicial reform.

Croatia: USG Moved the Goalposts on ICTY Cooperation
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3. (C) According to Steir, the most disheartening message
came from the U.S. representative to the NAC. Most Allies
took note of the ICTY Chief Prosecutor's positive assessment
of Croatia's cooperation, noting the immediate transfer of
eight indictees and the ICTY's assessment of full cooperation
on document requests to the GoC. According to Steir, it was
the GoC's firm understanding that the USG had previously used
the ICTY's assessment as its own measure of Croatia's
cooperation. Now that Del Ponte judges Croatia as "fully
cooperating," Stier continued, the U.S. has changed its
standard, insisting that Gotovina must be in The Hague before
the U.S. will allow Croatia to move forward toward
membership. Steir reiterated FM Zuzul's plea at the NAC that
Croatia "must not be held hostage to one man."

"A Blow to Croatia's Atlantic Movement"
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4. (C) Simunovic said that the new U.S. position at the NAC
was a blow to Croatia's Atlanticists and could dampen energy
in Zagreb for Croatia's NATO bid. The EC's "avis" was not
seen as a finish line, but as a starting point. With this
concrete signal, Croatia's reformers have a new tool with
which to push ahead on reforms relating to the EU. According
to Simunovic, the message to those in Croatia who are
responsible for managing the NATO bid was the opposite:
despite GoC efforts and measurable achievements, Croatia is
no closer to NATO membership.

"Give Us a 'Carrot' in the Istanbul Communique, Please"
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5. (C) Simunovic and Stier asked for a strong message at the
Istanbul summit which could re-energize Croatia's bid for
NATO and boost public support for membership the way the EC's
"avis" had for Croatia's EU bid. More than anything,
Simunovic said he fears that the Croatian public could
develop a "who needs NATO anyway" attitude; support for the
tough reforms which are not part of EU requirements --
especially in defense -- could fall away.


6. (C) Stier said Croatia was considering proposing draft
language for the Summit communique to various delegations at
NATO. He said that proposed language would not include a
call for an invitation -- Allies have been clear that the MAP
aspirants should not expect that -- but would suggest that
heads of state hail the progress of the three and direct the
NAC to assess their suitability for an invitation after the
next MAP review cycle in Spring 2005.


7. (C) For our part, we encouraged Croatia to continue its
efforts in NATO's MAP and to address all of the issues raised
by allies at the April 30 review. As always, we reiterated
to our interlocutors that Croatia should take all measures
possible to deliver Gotovina to ICTY custody.
FRANK


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