CROATIA TO FOLLOW EU ON THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000988 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KTIA UN UNGA SUBJECT: CROATIA TO FOLLOW EU ON THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS REF: SECSTATE 145641 ¶1. Ref points were delivered to Andrej Dogan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration - Department of the United Nations on 26 October 2007. The GOC expects to follow the EU's position on resolutions appearing before the UN's Third Committee over the coming months. ¶2. Dogan expects the GOC to support resolutions on Iran, Belarus, Burma and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The GOC did not object to the text of the draft resolution on "Condemning the Use of Rape as an Instrument of State Policy" and expressed support for the resolution as an idea. Dogan indicated some additional language more closely aligning the resolution with the International Criminal Court might be desirable. However, he indicated the GOC did not want such language to derail the resolution and would not press the issue in the end. Again, he expected the GOC to follow closely the EU's lead. Regarding the resolutions on elections, religious intolerance, and defamation of religion, Dogan had no substantive comments. ¶3. Finally, Croatia would likely support an EU resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, should it be introduced. Discussing the issue, Dogan noted the former Yugoslavia did not have a death penalty and, upon gaining independence, Croatia saw no reason to revive the practice. BRADTKE