CROATIA SEEKS COOPERATION WITH U.S. ON REGIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001320

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA SEEKS COOPERATION WITH U.S. ON REGIONAL
ISSUES


Classified By: CDA Greg Delawie for reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (C) Summary: MFA State Secretary Hidajet Biscevic called
in Charge on August 9 to preview a GOC non-paper outlining a
framework for U.S.-Croatian cooperation in South East Europe
over the next two years. Biscevic cited the resolution of
the Kosovo question, the future of the Serbia-Montenegro
union and the tenth anniversary of Dayton with consequent
rethinking on making Bosnia truly self-sufficient as the key
regional issues in the coming years that an increasingly
introspective EU will be unable to confront alone. The GOC
believes that a strong U.S. role is essential to prevent
backsliding from the common goal of integrating all states in
the region into Euro-Atlantic structures and would like to
position Croatia as a facilitator in this process, in
cooperation with the U.S. In this role, Croatia would avoid
seeing its Euro-Atlantic ambitions subordinated to the
progress of its neighbors. Biscevic hopes to have bilateral
discussions on these issues in the fall. End Summary.


2. (C) Charge met with Croatian MFA State Secretary Hidajet
Biscevic at the latter,s request on August 9. Biscevic
called the meeting to present a GOC non-paper (e-mailed to
EUR/SCE) setting out a framework for Croatian-U.S. relations
over the next two years. Biscevic cited several issues where
the GOC sees room for close cooperation with the U.S. in the
region:

-- Resolution of Kosovo status, where Croatia could act as a
consultant or special envoy for the Contact Group;
-- Future of Serbia-Montenegro union, with continued work on
resolving open disputes and assisting with rule of law issues;
-- Adjustments to Dayton to move Bosnia toward greater
self-sufficiency, where Croatia could serve as a conduit for
investment and economic development;
-- Assisting Macedonia in its own NATO and EU bids.


3. (C) Biscevic indicated that the GOC had made similar
proposals to the EU in advance of its March 05 decision on
whether or not to begin accession negotiations with Croatia.
However, he felt that the EU was now too self-absorbed with
its own internal issues and the fallout from the negative
votes on its constitution and digesting its recent
enlargement to tackle these issues effectively. He expressed
concern that a leadership vacuum could threaten much of the
progress that has been made in the region since the 90s and
possibly lead to backsliding. Biscevic said that U.S.
engagement remains essential to ensure that South East Europe
stays on the course of Euro-Atlantic integration and does not
siphon U.S. resources from the war on terrorism and other
global issues.


4. (C) In the context of furthering stability in South East
Europe, Biscevic noted that Croatia hopes to act as
facilitator in this process and, in so doing, ensure that its
own EU and NATO ambitions are not linked to those of its
neighbors. Croatia considers itself much further along the
path toward both EU and NATO membership than its southern
neighbors and so considers that it can burnish its
Euro-Atlantic credentials while offering assistance in
regional stability and development.


5. (C) Biscevic expressed the hope that this non-paper could
form the basis for further bilateral discussions on these
questions this fall.


6. (C) Charge noted the U.S. shared the goal of seeing
Croatia integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures and avoiding
any backsliding in the region to the problems of the 90s. He
told Biscevic that, as far as the NATO Membership Action Plan
is concerned, the U.S. view is that each candidate will be
judged based on its own progress in meeting the specific
requirements of membership.
DELAWIE


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