CROATIA EXPRESSES PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT NORTH

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001205

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PARM KN HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA EXPRESSES PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT NORTH
KOREAN TEST PLAN

REF: STATE 166404

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) Ambassador raised reftel points with MFA
Assistant Minister Neven Pelicaric on October 4.
Drawing from reftel guidance, Ambassador also noted
that this was not just a U.S. problem, but a problem
for the entire world. Pelicaric agreed that the threat
needed to be dealt with on a global basis. He
regretted that Croatia had no influence with North
Korea. He agreed to advise FM Grabar-Kitarovic
immediately of our demarche. Later the same day, the
GOC issued a public statement of concern.


2. (SBU) Ambassador also demarched Presidential foreign
policy advisor Budimir Loncar, who agreed the situation
was serious. Loncar speculated that the North Korean
announcement may have been motivated in part by North
Korean envy about the recent attention given to South
Korean FM and UN SYG candidate Ban.


3. (U) The Foreign Ministry statement indicated that
Croatia shares the international community's deep
concern over the announcement by North Korea that it
will perform a nuclear test. Detonating nuclear
weapons would pose a serious threat to peace and
security in Asia and the rest of the world; the
Ministry urged North Korea to rejoin the six-party
negotiations with the aim of avoiding further
escalation of events and finding a solution through
diplomatic means.
Bradtke