BOSNIA- HDZ-1990 PARTY CONGRESS CALLS FOR "ETHNIC

UNCLAS SARAJEVO 002490 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS EUR FOR DICARLO; EUR/SCE (HOH, FOOKS, STINCHCOMB); NSC FOR BRAUN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV HR BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA- HDZ-1990 PARTY CONGRESS CALLS FOR "ETHNIC FEDERALISM" REF: A. SARAJEVO 2057 ¶B. SARAJOEVO 2415 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On November 10 in Mostar, the Croatian Democratic Union 1990 (HDZ-1990) held its first party congress since its founding in April 2006. Delegates re-elected the senior party leadership, including Chairman Bozo Ljubic and Deputy Chairman Martin Raguz. The participation of Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader illustrates the intensity of the ongoing competition for the Bosnian Croat diaspora vote in Croatian parliamentary elections. Sanader expressed his strong support for Ljubic and also took the opportunity to campaign for HDZ-Croatia in the upcoming Croatian elections. Ljubic also unveiled a proposal for constitutional reform which built on the Bosnian Croat Kresevo Declaration but constituted a more explicit call for the creation of ethnically-based federal units in Bosnia. End Summary. Ljubic's speech -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Chairman Bozo Ljubic opened the inaugural HDZ-1990 congress with a speech focusing on the party's main accomplishments since its founding in April 2006. Ljubic emphasized the key role the party had played in blocking the April 2006 package of constitutional reforms noting it was part of a larger commitment to protect and defend Croat interests in Bosnia. Ljubic said that the Federation was becoming increasingly dominated by Bosniak interests, and that future reforms must provide greater protections for Bosnian Croats. Ljubic also devoted significant time to the current political crisis, stating, as he did at the September session of the Peace Implementation Council, that its real cause was not the Lajcak measures. Ljubic voiced HDZ 1990's support for the High Representative and his use of the Bonn Powers, and said that both should remain in place until Bosnia has a new and functional constitution in place. Sanader -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader also had a prominent speaking role at the convention. Sanader predicted that HDZ-Croatia will remain in power after the November 25 elections and Bosnian Croats can continue to count on the party's support. He emphasized that the current political crisis must be resolved separately from the resolution of Kosovo's status. Sanader expressed support for the High Representative and his use of the Bonn Powers, but stressed that long-term change can only be achieved through consensus among all three constituent peoples with the support of the United States and EU. Sanader also urged HDZ-1990 and HDZ-BiH to bridge their differences. He stressed, however, Croatia will not exert any pressure to achieve a reunification of the two Bosnian HDZs. Sanader also used the opportunity to campaign for his party and attack his domestic political opponents, particularly SDP-Croatia. HDZ 1990's Constitutional View -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Bozo Ljubic also unveiled HDZ-1990 proposals for a constitutional reform package. Building on the Kresevo Declaration from September (ref A),the HDZ-1990 proposal seeks to enhance Croat influence at the federal and local levels of government through "ethnically-based institutions." The HDZ-1990 plan would create at least three ethnically-based federal units. The state-level government would have clearly defined competencies limited to establishing a state capable of Euro-Atlantic integration. Under the HDZ-1990 proposal, the Prime Minister, President, Parliament Speaker) would be divided among the ethnic groups and national groups in the House of Peoples would retain veto power. All competencies not strictly granted to the state government would be handled by entity or local governments. HDZ 1990 also announced its support for incorporating the ethnic divisions and protections existing at the state-level into the federal units. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The HDZ 1990 constitutional proposal takes one step closer to an open call for the establishment of a third, Croat, entity. Nonetheless, Ljubic and Raguz were clearly mindful of managing public opinion and scrupulously avoided explicit references to such an entity. Instead, HDZ 1990 used its congress to paint a picture of Bosnian Croat electorate that is prepared to cooperate with the international community in supporting the Lajcak measures and eventual EU membership for Bosnia. Although Sanader successfully convinced both Bosnian HDZ's to join his diaspora candidate list for Croatian parliamentary elections, this has not translated into any realistic prospect that the two parties will reunite in the near future. End comment. ENGLISH