Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ZAGREB626
2008-08-29 14:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:
CROATIA ALSO OPPOSES SERBIAN EFFORT TO REFER
how-toVZCZCXRO7403 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO DE RUEHVB #0626 2421420 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 291420Z AUG 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8594 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000626
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD; OSD FOR POPOVICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2018
TAGS: PREL UN UNGA KV SR HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA ALSO OPPOSES SERBIAN EFFORT TO REFER
KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE TO THE ICJ
REF: STATE 91908
Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, POLCOUNS, Reasons 1.4 B/D
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000626
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD; OSD FOR POPOVICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2018
TAGS: PREL UN UNGA KV SR HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA ALSO OPPOSES SERBIAN EFFORT TO REFER
KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE TO THE ICJ
REF: STATE 91908
Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, POLCOUNS, Reasons 1.4 B/D
1. (C) POLCOUNS delivered reftel message to Neven Mikec,
Chief of Staff at the Croatian Foreign Ministry, on August
28. Mikec noted that Croatia had received a letter from
Serbian FM Jeremic describing Serbia's proposal to refer the
question of Kosovo's independence to the International Court
of Justice. He said that Croatia agreed this was a bad idea.
He added that Serbian officials were indicating that such a
referral to the ICJ would be a way for the Belgrade
government to push the Kosovo issue off to the side of the
domestic political agenda. Mikec said that Croatia's
bilateral relations with Serbia continued to be strained,
including the fact that Serbia was returning Ambassadors to
EU capitals but not Zagreb. Croatia, therefore, was
certainly interested in finding ways to help Belgrade get
over the loss of Kosovo. Mikec noted that Croatia was also
watching closely whether events in Georgia would have any
impact on Serbia's plans, or on Russian support for an ICJ
case on Kosovo. How, he wondered, could the UNGA ask the ICJ
to consider the case of Kosovo, but not include any reference
to South Ossetia or Abkhazia?
2. (C) POLCOUNS noted that the US also supported efforts to
get Serbia to move beyond the Kosovo issue, but that such a
strategy with Serbia could not come at the price of putting
Kosovo in limbo or doing anything that would discourage
others from strengthening cooperation with Kosovo and
integrating it into the international community. Mikec said
Croatia fully supported that view, and was also sensitive to
the reftel points about potential unintended consequences
from an ICJ opinion.
Bradtke
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD; OSD FOR POPOVICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2018
TAGS: PREL UN UNGA KV SR HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA ALSO OPPOSES SERBIAN EFFORT TO REFER
KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE TO THE ICJ
REF: STATE 91908
Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, POLCOUNS, Reasons 1.4 B/D
1. (C) POLCOUNS delivered reftel message to Neven Mikec,
Chief of Staff at the Croatian Foreign Ministry, on August
28. Mikec noted that Croatia had received a letter from
Serbian FM Jeremic describing Serbia's proposal to refer the
question of Kosovo's independence to the International Court
of Justice. He said that Croatia agreed this was a bad idea.
He added that Serbian officials were indicating that such a
referral to the ICJ would be a way for the Belgrade
government to push the Kosovo issue off to the side of the
domestic political agenda. Mikec said that Croatia's
bilateral relations with Serbia continued to be strained,
including the fact that Serbia was returning Ambassadors to
EU capitals but not Zagreb. Croatia, therefore, was
certainly interested in finding ways to help Belgrade get
over the loss of Kosovo. Mikec noted that Croatia was also
watching closely whether events in Georgia would have any
impact on Serbia's plans, or on Russian support for an ICJ
case on Kosovo. How, he wondered, could the UNGA ask the ICJ
to consider the case of Kosovo, but not include any reference
to South Ossetia or Abkhazia?
2. (C) POLCOUNS noted that the US also supported efforts to
get Serbia to move beyond the Kosovo issue, but that such a
strategy with Serbia could not come at the price of putting
Kosovo in limbo or doing anything that would discourage
others from strengthening cooperation with Kosovo and
integrating it into the international community. Mikec said
Croatia fully supported that view, and was also sensitive to
the reftel points about potential unintended consequences
from an ICJ opinion.
Bradtke