Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ZAGREB752
2007-08-09 12:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

KOSOVO NEXT STEPS -- CROATIAN REACTION

Tags:  PGOV KV PREL YI UN EU HR REGIONAL ISSUES 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000752 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR - DAS DICARLO, EUR/SCE - HOH, BALIAN, BLACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2017
TAGS: PGOV KV PREL YI UN EU HR REGIONAL ISSUES
SUBJECT: KOSOVO NEXT STEPS -- CROATIAN REACTION

REF: SECSTATE 109526

Classified By: Political Officer Tom Selinger for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000752

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR - DAS DICARLO, EUR/SCE - HOH, BALIAN, BLACK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2017
TAGS: PGOV KV PREL YI UN EU HR REGIONAL ISSUES
SUBJECT: KOSOVO NEXT STEPS -- CROATIAN REACTION

REF: SECSTATE 109526

Classified By: Political Officer Tom Selinger for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
.


1. (U) DCM delivered reftel points to MFA Asst Minister for
International Organizations and Security Pjer Simunovic in
August 8 introductory call. Simunovic stressed GoC support
for the strategy, pointing out that the GoC's overriding
interests related to Kosovo's future are stability and the
full integration of all countries in the region into NATO and
the EU.


2. (C) Simunovic said the GoC would like to see a solution on
Kosovo's final status accepted by both Belgrade and Pristina,
but acknowledged that past delays have only made the
situation worse. He pointed to several moves by Belgrade in
the past year, including constitutional and parliamentary
resolution language, that have created a more entrenched
Serbian position in status talks. According to
Simunovic, EU integration is the strongest leverage the
international community has to push both the Serbs and the
Kosovar Albanians forward. We must not let either side
blackmail the international community, he stressed, adding
that violence of any kind was totally unacceptable.

CROATIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY
--------------


3. (C) Simunovic said Croatia's most important contribution
to ensuring stability in Kosovo is political. The GoC has
repeatedly expressed its support for the Ahtisaari plan, and
two key members of parliament are involved in direct advising
in Kosovo. MP and Serb National Council President Milorad
Pupovac, under the auspices of the OSCE, has assisted in
politically organizing the ethnic Serb community in Kosovo
and advised them on protecting their rights as a minority.
Independent MP Neven Mimica, former minister of European
integration, has served as an advisor to the Government of
Kosovo on the EU integration process.


4. (C) Croatia's military involvement in KFOR is a more
sensitive matter, Simunovic explained. Croatia currently has
nine police officers working in UNMIK with plans to send an
additional five this year. However, a Croatian MOD proposal
to send two MI-8 helicopters and crew to KFOR still requires
political clearance both in Zagreb and Brussels. Given
recent history, Simunovic said, Croatian military involvement
in Kosovo has the potential to become counterproductive.
BRADTKE