CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN NATO TOUR TO BRATISLAVA

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000923 SIPDIS FOR AMBASSADOR WEISER FROM AMBASSADOR FRANK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL HR NATO SUBJECT: CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN NATO TOUR TO BRATISLAVA ¶1. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT PROVIDED DURING THE MAY 4 - 5 VISIT OF FOUR CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS TO BRATISLAVA. THIS TRIP MADE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE UNDERSTANDING BY THESE LAWMAKERS OF HOW TO HELP MOVE CROATIA FORWARD TOWARD NATO MEMBERSHIP. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE TIME AND COMMITMENT OF DCM SCOTT THAYER AS WELL AS THAT OF YOUR DEFENSE ATTACHE, YOUR POL COUNSELOR AND YOUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER. I WOULD LIKE TO SINGLE OUT POLOFF KASSIE KOHLER, WHO PUT TOGETHER AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM AND MADE INSIGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DISCUSSIONS. ¶2. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE VISIT CAME DURING A BUSY PERIOD FOR YOUR EMBASSY, FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT THE TIMING COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER. CROATIA'S TOP POLICY PRIORITIES ARE TO JOIN THE EU AND NATO, AND THE VISITING CROATIAN MPS WERE EAGER TO LEARN FROM SLOVAKIA'S RECENT SUCCESS. ¶3. THE CROATIAN DELEGATION LEARNED THAT IN ORDER TO REACH ITS GOAL, SLOVAKIA HAD TO OVERCOME THE LEGACY OF THE MECIAR GOVERNMENT, WORK STEADILY ON REFORM ISSUES WITHIN NATO'S MAP PROGRAM AND ENGAGE WITH NGOS AND OPINION LEADERS TO BUILD PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATION. PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED WAS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF IT FOLLOWS SLOVAKIA'S LEAD, CROATIA CAN OVERCOME THE LATE START BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S OSTRACISM OF THE TUDJMAN REGIME. ¶4. IN EACH MEETING, THE CROATIAN MP'S WERE GIVEN THE OVERWHELMING IMPRESSION THAT SLOVAKIA BACKS FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE EU AND NATO AND STANDS READY TO HELP CROATIA SUCCEED. AT THE MOD AND MFA, EXPERTS SHARED COPIES OF LEGISLATION, PR STRATEGY DOCUMENTS AND ADVICE ON HOW SLOVAKIA QUALIFIED FOR NATO MEMBERSHIP. AT THE PARLIAMENT, MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DISCUSSED THE ACTIVIST ROLE THAT PARLIAMENTARIANS MUST PLAY TO HELP THEIR NATION MOUNT A SUCCESSFUL BID FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU AND NATO. THE SLOVAK MPS MADE A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT CROATIA'S EFFORTS. ¶5. AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR MAKING THIS SUCH A SUCCESSFUL VISIT; IT WAS A CLEAR CONTRIBUTION TO OUR TOP MISSION GOALS. FRANK NNNN