CROATIA PRESENTS ITS ANNUAL NATIONAL PLAN AT NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000397

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA PRESENTS ITS ANNUAL NATIONAL PLAN AT NATO

Classified By: CDA Kate Byrnes. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: On October 16, a senior-level Croatian
delegation presented Zagreb's 2008-2009 Annual National
Program to NATO Allies. The presentation drew praise from
Allies in a warm and friendly meeting. Allies looked forward
to Croatia becoming a full member of the Alliance. End
Summary.


2. (C) On October 16, a Croatian delegation led by Ambassador
Vladimir Matek, Acting Director General at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Mr. Pier Simunovic, Director General at
the Ministry of Defence, as well as Ambassador Igor Pokaz
presented Zagreb's 2008-2009 Annual National Program to
NATO's Senior Political Committee. This presentation was
expected to be the Croatia's final Annual National Plan, with
Croatia on schedule to formally join the Alliance as early as
April 2009.


3. (C) Matek highlighted how far Croatia had come, proudly
stating that he had also made the first presentation on a
Croatian ANP to the Alliance. Matek noted his country had
transformed from a security consumer to a security provider.
He said Croatia contributes to peace and stabilization
operations around the world, including as a part of NATO's
ISAF operation in Afghanistan. He highlighted how important
an effective public diplomacy campaign had been in raising
domestic Croatian public support for NATO membership. Matek
also reiterated Croatia,s willingness to play a mentoring
role for its neighbors on their path to NATO membership. In
response to questioning from Allies the Croatian delegation
underlined that MAP had been crucial to their success.
According to the Croatian presenters MAP had "worked
perfectly," and they "couldn't imagine how a country could
have done it without MAP." Simunovic, on behalf of the
Ministry of Defense reiterated Croatia,s continued
commitment to modernizing its armed forces and to providing
adequate forces for operations. He noted the Croatian offer
of helicopters and crews for use in KFOR.


4. A/DCM Reid noted that on September 25 the United States
Senate had passed a resolution providing advice and consent
to ratification of the NATO accession protocols for Croatia.
He thanked Croatia for its continued participation in ISAF,
including participation in four PRTs and for its contribution
as the only non-NATO Ally embedded with and training the
Afghan National Army through an OMLT. Reid encouraged
Croatia to continue its judicial reform efforts, including
efforts to reduce its case backlog and to improve training
and supervision of judges and court administration. He also
urged Croatia to amend its property restitution law so that
it does not discriminate against current non-Croatian
citizens who had property expropriated during World War Two
and the communist regime.


5. (C) Comments from other Allies were almost uniformly
positive in tone, welcoming Croatia into the Alliance and
thanking it for contributions to operations (Hungary, Italy,
Canada, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Lithuania,
Greece, France, the Netherlands and Poland). Slovenia, the UK
and Germany did observe that some challenges to the rule of
law in Croatia remained, urging better performance. The
Netherlands and the UK emphasized the importance of ICTY
compliance. The Netherlands also encouraged Croatia to
improve the independence of the civil service. Norway
reminded Croatia that reform was a continual and never-ending
process.


6. (U) An electronic copy of this Annual National Plan has
been forwarded to EUR/RPM.
BYRNES