ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - APRIL 2, 2008

UNCLAS STATE 034316 SIPDIS SENSITIVE - SIPDIS - FOR MINSK THE FOLLOWING ZAGREB 000291 DTD 02APR08 SENT ATCION STATE INFO EUROPEAN POLITIACL COLLECTIVE SECDEF NSC REPEATED FOR YOUR INFO 03APR08 QUOTE: UNCLAS ZAGREB 000291 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA OSD FOR WINTERNITZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR HR SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - APRIL 2, 2008 ¶1. (U) GOC TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO UN MISSION ON GOLAN HEIGHTS IN JUNE: On Friday March 28, the Croatian parliament supported a decision to send 95 soldiers to serve as members of the UN peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights. A clear majority (104 of the 153-seat parliament) endorsed the plan to send troops to assist the UN mission separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the strategic heights. A Croatian light infantry company will be replacing the Slovak contingent in the Golan Heights in June. (PMcCabe) ¶2. (U) THREE WITNESSES LIVING IN THE U.S. TESTIFY VIA VIDEO LINK IN CROATIAN WAR CRIMES TRIAL: The Croatian County Court hearing the high profile war crimes trial of Generals Rahim Ademi and Mirko Norac (the one "11bis" case transferred by the ICTY to the Croatian court system) successfully heard testimony from 3 witnesses currently residing in the United States over the final two weeks of March. Using equipment provided to the GOC from the U.S. Department of Justice, the witnesses testified via video link. A fourth witness located by U.S. authorities was unwilling to testify in the case and has been deemed an endangered witness. Croatian and U.S. authorities have agreed not to compel that witness' testimony. The presiding judge has noted to Embassy POL Assistant that this video link testimony was important to the case. (VDjukic) ¶3. (SBU) COUNTDOWN TO THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY'S VISIT TO ZAGREB: Preparations for the upcoming visit of the President and First Lady intensified this week. White House Advance Team members continue to work closely with Embassy Zagreb staff to prepare various sites for meetings and social events on April 4 and 5. (PMcCabe) Bradtke UNQUOTE: RICE