Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ZAGREB122
2009-03-05 09:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

CROATIA SPEEDING UP ITS DOMESTIC NATO RATIFICATION

Tags:  PGOV PREL NATO HR 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0122 0640955
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 050955Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9054
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3486
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000122 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/RPM, L/T

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA SPEEDING UP ITS DOMESTIC NATO RATIFICATION
PROCESS TO BE READY FOR SUMMIT

REF: A. LJUBLJANA 0057

B. ZAGREB 00040

C. MEHLIN-HOLLERAN EMAILS 3/2/2009

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000122

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/RPM, L/T

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA SPEEDING UP ITS DOMESTIC NATO RATIFICATION
PROCESS TO BE READY FOR SUMMIT

REF: A. LJUBLJANA 0057

B. ZAGREB 00040

C. MEHLIN-HOLLERAN EMAILS 3/2/2009

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


1. (C) Summary: The GoC told post it was speeding up its
own domestic NATO ratification process due to the potentially
tight timeframe for Slovenia to finalize the ratification of
Croatia's accession protocol. The GoC said it would be ready
to deposit its instrument of accession in Washington as soon
as the Secretary General issued the invitation for Croatia to
accede to the North Atlantic Treaty. To facilitate this
process the GoC would have the signed instrument of accession
positioned in advance at the Croatian Embassy in Washington
so that it could be deposited quickly. Croatian officials
estimate the domestic ratification process would take
approximately two weeks and be finished around March 18.
However, there is growing concern in Zagreb that the timeline
for the ratification in Slovenia will not leave enough time
for Croatia to become a full member of the alliance before
the April 3 and 4 Summit.


2. (C) On March 3 Marko Horvat, Director of the MFA's NATO
Department., said that given the potentially tight timeframe
for Slovenia to finalize the ratification of Croatia's
accession protocol (ref A),the GoC was speeding up its own
domestic ratification process. The GoC plans to be ready to
deposit its instrument of accession in Washington as soon as
the Secretary General issues the invitation for Croatia to
accede to the North Atlantic Treaty. Horvat said that on
March 3 the MFA had sent out finalized draft legislation of
Croatia's NATO accession protocols to all the relevant
ministries. Since the ministries have already had a chance
to comment (ref B),this process is more of a formality and
will end by March 5. The Foreign Minister would then sign
the document and send it to the GoC, which would then need to
hold a formal session to discuss the draft before it was
submitted to the Sabor. The formal GoC session would likely
take place on March 12.


3. (C) After the formal government meeting takes place the
GoC will send the draft to the Sabor. Horvat said that once
the GoC submits the draft to the Sabor, it could vote at any
time. He anticipates no problems in getting overwhelming
support from the members of the Sabor. President Mesic will
be ready to sign soon after the Sabor approves the
legislation. If necessary the GoC would also speed up the
publication of legislation in Croatia's official register,
following Mesic's signing, so it could take effect as soon as
possible. Horvat estimated that the entire process of
domestic ratification could be done in approximately 15 days.


4. (C) Once the process is complete the GoC would send the
signed instrument of accession sent to the Croatian Embassy
in Washington so that Croatia could deposit the document
there as soon as it received the invitation from the
Secretary General. Horvat also noted that the Croatian
Embassy in Washington was working with the Department to make
sure Croatia's instrument of accession was properly drafted
(ref C).


5. (C) In a separate meeting on March 4 Visnja Tafra,
President Mesic's Defense Advisor, said that the President
will be ready to sign both the document the Sabor passed and
the instrument of accession. The President's office would
then quickly contact the official register to get it
published. Tafra confirmed that a the instrument of
accession with Mesic's signature will be sent to Washington
to wait for the invitation from the Secretary General. Tafra
also estimated that the domestic ratification process would
take approximately two weeks from the date of the discussion,
which would be around March 18.


6. (C) Comment. There is growing concern within the GoC that
the timeline for the ratification in Slovenia will not leave
enough time for Croatia to become a full member of the
alliance before the April 3 and 4 Summit. The Croatians are
doing what they can to speed up their domestic ratification
process, but they will increasingly look for other members of
the Alliance to help constructively move the ratification
process in Slovenia to a timely conclusion.
BRADTKE