Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SARAJEVO2268
2006-09-27 10:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:  

BOSNIA: CROATIAN, SERBIAN ENVOYS DOWNPLAY

Tags:  PREL PGOV BK HR YI 
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PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHVJ #2268/01 2701045
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271045Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4480
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 002268 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR DICARLO, EUR/SCE; NSC FOR BRAUN; OSD FOR
FLORY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV BK HR YI
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: CROATIAN, SERBIAN ENVOYS DOWNPLAY
BELGRADE, ZAGREB ROLE IN POLITICS HERE


Classified By: Ambassador Douglas L. McElhaney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 002268

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR DICARLO, EUR/SCE; NSC FOR BRAUN; OSD FOR
FLORY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV BK HR YI
SUBJECT: BOSNIA: CROATIAN, SERBIAN ENVOYS DOWNPLAY
BELGRADE, ZAGREB ROLE IN POLITICS HERE


Classified By: Ambassador Douglas L. McElhaney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (C) SUMMARY: In separate meetings, the Croatian and
Serbian ambassadors to Bosnia and Herzegovina September 22
discussed the upcoming Bosnian elections. On recent
activities of Croatian and Serbian politicians with respect
to Bosnia, both emphasized their countries' desire to see
Bosnia progress quickly on its path to Euro-Atlantic
integration, and said that the actions of their governments
had not contributed to the nationalist rhetoric prevalent in
the electoral campaign. The two also said they were confident
that the harsh pre-election rhetoric would soften after the
elections, and would not hamper talks on formation of a
Bosnian government. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Ambassador met separately September 22 with Croatian
Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Josip Vrbosic and
Serbian Ambassador Grujica Spasovic to discuss the upcoming
elections in Bosnia, as well as recent activities by Croatian
and Serbian political leaders relevant to Bosnia. Both
Ambassadors were keen to emphasize their nations, interest
in Bosnia progressing on its path to Euro-Atlantic
integration. Vrbosic noted Croatian PM Sanader had endorsed
the "Croat Togetherness" coalition (HDZ-1990 and four small
Croat parties) because it presented the best hope to fix
"broken" Croat politics in Bosnia. He said that HDZ-BiH,
under the "illegitimate" leadership of Dragan Covic (who won
the most recent party election for president by what was
widely perceived as a rigged vote) was not an effective
advocate for Croat interests and could not be seen as an
equal partner with parties representing other ethnic groups
in the governing of Bosnia.


3. (C) The Serb Spasovic had a similar message, noting that
Serbia,s recent announcement of a "special ties" agreement
with the Republika Srpska (RS) was merely a technical update
of a similar agreement signed with Serbia and Montenegro in

2001. He did, however, acknowledge that the timing likely

was chosen to boost the standing of Serbs in the upcoming
elections in Bosnia and the Kosovo status talks.


4. (C) Both ambassadors agreed that the overwhelmingly
negative election rhetoric in Bosnia was a problem, but
neither seemed particularly concerned that it would continue
after the election. When asked about the role of Croatian
and Serbian politicians in the Bosnia election campaign, both
ambassadors asserted their governments were not contributing
to the nationalist rhetoric. Croatian Ambassador Vrbosic
said that the leaders of HDZ-1990 are not nationalists, and
would be constructive after the elections. He agreed with
Ambassador McElhaney that there would be continuing debate
about the path of constitutional reform, particularly
regarding tensions between individual and group rights, and
suggested that constitutional negotiations should restart
within the state parliament instead of among political
leaders. Vrbosic said "new faces" were needed to improve the
state of Bosnian politics. The Ambassador responded that
until the constitutional structure is changed, there was
little hope that new leaders would emerge.


5. (C) Spasovic claimed that although RS PM Dodik recently
had been using nationalist rhetoric, he was merely tacking
right. His real political orientation was center-left. The
Ambassador responded that in doing so, Dodik was calling into
question his willingness to contribute to practical solutions
for BiH, as well as destabilizing the political climate here
during the election period. Spasovic agreed, but said that,
due to "nervousness" in Belgrade over Kosovo, Serbian
politicians were trying to generate some positive news with
respect to Bosnia. That included the "special agreement" on
largely economic issues to be signed Spetember 26 between
Banja Luka and Belgrade. He said he was optimistic that
political rhetoric would moderate after the elections, and
the debate could turn to concrete issues.


6. (C) COMMENT: Both Ambassadors were keen to emphasize
that neither of their governments had any intention to
contribute to the radicalization of the political situation
in Bosnia. They denied that Sanader's open support for the
highly-nationalist HDZ-1990, as well as Belgrade's highly
visible efforts to demonstrate their close relations with
Serb front-runner Milorad Dodik were doing so. We made clear
that under the Dayton Agreement Serbia and Croatia must
protect the stability of BiH, not exacerbate tensions among

SARAJEVO 00002268 002 OF 002


the three "peoples," particularly during the election
campaign. Their messages were very similar -- that
membership for Bosnia in Euro-Atlantic structures was in the
interests of their countries. Both agreed that
constitutional change must occur before Bosnia can join the
EU, but neither offered any constructive suggestions on how
to realize reforms. END SUMMARY.
MCELHANEY