GOC WELCOMES THE RETURN OF THE SERBIAN AMBASSADOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000778

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV SR HR
SUBJECT: GOC WELCOMES THE RETURN OF THE SERBIAN AMBASSADOR
AND ROLLS OUT PLANS TO IMPROVE BILATERAL RELATIONS

REF: A. BELGRADE 1059

B. ZAGREB 688

C. ZAGREB 750

Classified By: Peter D'Amico, Political Officer, for reasons 1.4 (b) &
(d).


1. (C) Summary: Following the return of the Serbian
Ambassador to Zagreb last week the GoC is working on rolling
out plans to improve bilateral relations through high-level
visits between the capitals. Croatia's recognition on March
19 of Kosovo's independence, and Belgrade's subsequent
decision to recall its ambassador, strained relations between
Serbia and Croatia. The Kosovo recognition also provided
fuel for ill-tempered rhetorical exchanges between senior
officials and the occasional snub of invitations by
high-level members of the GoS to events in Croatia. Even
during the recent strained period in relations, there were
some areas of strong cooperation, especially on the
working-levels and on certain issues such as law enforcement
and trade. Despite the lack of a Serbian ambassador in
Zagreb, the GoC repeatedly stated that it wanted to reach out
to the pro-European forces in Serbia, while at the same time
encouraging them to see "reality" on Kosovo. The GoC has
consistently maintained its strong support for Serbia
becoming a member of the EU and NATO. With the return of the
Serbian Ambassador the GoC will attempt to warm bilateral
ties this winter with Belgrade. Relations, however, will
continue to be sensitive. End Summary.

Serbian Ambassador Returns
--------------


2. (SBU) The Serbian Ambassador to Croatia, Radivoj
Cveticanin, returned to Zagreb last week, and on October 31
he had his first official meetings at the Croatian MFA since
his departure. Serbia had recalled him to Belgrade after the
GoC recognized Kosovo's independence on March 19. The GoS
decided on October 9, following the UN General Assembly vote
to support Serbia's request for consideration of Kosovo's
independence by the International Court of Justice, to return
its ambassadors to non-EU countries that had recognized
Kosovo (REF A).

GoC's Plans for Engagement
--------------


3. (C) On October 29, FM Jandrokovic told the Ambassador
that, in response to the Serbian Ambassador's return, Croatia
would appoint a new ambassador to Belgrade, and there would
soon be a visit by the Serbian Minister of Environment and
Special Planning Oliver Dulic to meet with his Croatian
counterpart, Minister of Environmental Planning Marina
Matulovic Dropulic. The MFA confirmed on November 4 that the
new Croatian Ambassador to Serbia, Zeljko Kupresak, had
received agrement from Belgrade. The Croatian Sabor, with
support from the GoC, is also moving forward on arranging a
delegation of Croatian parliamentarians from the Foreign
Affairs Committee to go to Belgrade to share experiences from
Croatia's EU bid. Sabor contacts said they had proposed the
trip to the GoS, and that matters were now in the hand of the
Serbian ambassador and Belgrade.

Zagreb Paid a Heavier Price For Kosovo Recognition
-------------- --------------


4. (C) The GoC is hopeful these steps will promote a thaw in
relations with Belgrade. Croatian officials have repeatedly
commented how Belgrade seemed to be reacting more sharply to
Croatia's recognition of Kosovo than with most other
countries, particularly those in the EU. This included harsh
statements from senior GoS officials, such as Serbian FM
Jeremic's public criticism of the GoC last May, when he used
an international conference in Zagreb to accuse Croatia of
the "ethnic cleansing" of 250,000 Serbs in the 1990's. The
tough talk was not limited to public exchanges. PM Sanader
told USG officials that during a private meeting in September
on the margins of the UNGA, Serbian President Tadic said that
the GoC had made bilateral relations tough by recognizing the
independence of Kosovo and warning that Belgrade could create
problems in Croatia with its minority Serb community (REF B).
Croatians also reported that senior figures in the GoS had
frequently turned down invitations to events in Croatia as
another means of expressing displeasure. Tadic has refused
personal invitations from both Sander and President Mesic to
attend various multilateral events during the summer where
other regional and European leaders would be present.

Good Cooperation on the Working-Level
--------------


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5. (C) The tensions and public displays at the senior level,
have been mitigated, however, by good cooperation at the
working level. The Croatian MFA has told us that, despite
initial concerns about possible economic retaliation after
Kosovo recognition, trade and economic relations in
particular have continued to develop at a robust pace over
the last six months. Strong ties have also continued in the
field of law enforcement. Both acting Croatian Police
Director Vladimir Faber and his predecessor Marijan Benko
stressed the close and strong cooperation with their Serbian
colleagues on law enforcement issues. Following the
high-profile murder of Ivo Pukanic in Zagreb on October 23
(REF C),Faber and his Serbian counterpart Milorad Veljonic
met at a border crossing on October 30 and announced plans to
establish joint teams to fight organized crime.

GoC Wants Serbia in the Euro-Atlantic Community
-------------- --


6. (C) President Mesic, PM Sanader and FM Jandrokovic have
all repeatedly stated publicly that while Serbia must
reconcile itself to the reality of Kosovo's independence,
Croatia also wants Serbia to be a member of Euro-Atlantic
institutions. In this vein Marin Zuzul in the MFA's
Southeastern Europe Department told post that the GoC
welcomed Belgrade's signing of the Stabilization and
Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU and the formation of
Serbia's pro-European government this summer. The GoC does
insist that before becoming a member of the EU and NATO
Serbia must be fully cooperating with the ICTY, just as
Croatia was required to do. (NOTE: One of the two remaining
ICTY fugitives, Goran Hadzic, is a rebel Serb leader accused
of crimes in Croatia. END NOTE.) But Croatian officials from
the senior levels on down consistently argue that having
Serbia firmly anchored in the Euro-Atlatntic community would
build stronger relations between the two countries, which the
GoC views as key for stability in the region.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) The GoC's effort to broaden contacts, such as via the
parliamentary delegation, are deliberately designed to test
the waters upon the return of the Serbian Ambassador to
Zagreb, and to try to open a new stage in bilateral
relations. The GoC will carefully watch Belgrade's response
to these efforts. Some of the wounded feelings from recent
rebuffs of invitations will persist, however. Some
high-level contacts or visits will likely be needed to get
beyond those tensions. END COMMENT.
Bradtke