Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ZAGREB167
2009-03-26 12:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

GOC COORDINATING WITH USG ON NEXT STEPS IN NATO

Tags:  PREL PGOV HR NATO 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0167 0851259
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 261259Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9103
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3488
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000167 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR NATO
SUBJECT: GOC COORDINATING WITH USG ON NEXT STEPS IN NATO
ACCESSION PROCESS

REF: A. ZAGREB 00160

B. ZAGREB 00148

Classified By: Poloff Peter D'Amico for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000167

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR NATO
SUBJECT: GOC COORDINATING WITH USG ON NEXT STEPS IN NATO
ACCESSION PROCESS

REF: A. ZAGREB 00160

B. ZAGREB 00148

Classified By: Poloff Peter D'Amico for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)


1. (C) Summary. After the Croatian Parliament approved
Croatia's NATO Accession Protocol, the Ambassador met with
MFA Director Mario Nobilo on March 26 to coordinate on the
next steps that the GoC would take so it would be ready to
become a member of NATO in time for the Summit on April 3.
Nobilo said Croatia's signed instrument of accession would be
in Washington by March 30 so Croatia could deposit as soon as
the Secretary General issued the invitation to accede to the
North Atlantic Treaty. Nobilo reported that the Slovenian
MFA told Zagreb that the ratification process in Slovenia
would finish around March 30. Both the Ambassador and Nobilo
agreed that it was prudent to be prepared for the possibility
that Slovene ratification might come at the last minute and
that all the relevant players in the accession process
coordinate closely with each other over the coming days. End
Summary.


NEXT STEPS FOR CROATIA


2. (C) Following Croatian Parliament's vote to approve
Croatia's NATO Accession Protcol (ref A),the Ambassador met
with MFA Director for International Organizations and
Security Mario Nobilo on March 26 to coordinate on the next
steps that Croatia would take so it would be ready to become
a member of NATO in time for the Summit on April 3. The
Ambassador congratulated Croatia on the historic vote the day
before in the Sabor. Nobilo thanked the USG for its support
in the accession process and expressed satisfaction with the
vote in the Sabor. Nobilo said now that the Sabor had
approved the document, President Mesic was expected to sign
the protocol during the day on March 26. The protocol would
then be published in the official gazette on March 27 so it
could come into effect. After the protocol was published in
the gazette Mesic would then sign the instrument of deposit.
A Croatian diplomat would then fly the signed instrument of
accession to Washington over the weekend and the document
would be in DC by March 30. The GoC would keep the
instrument of accession waiting in the Croatian Embassy in
Washington and deposit it with the State Department once they
received invitation from the Secretary General to accede to
the North Atlantic Treaty. Nobilo added that just to be safe
the GoC was going to scan the signed instrument of accession
so it could also be sent electronically to the State
Department if necessary.

RATIFICATION PROCESS IN SLOVENIA


3. (C) Nobilo said the Slovenian MFA told Zagreb that the
ratification process in Slovenia would finish approximately
on March 30. The Slovenes were planning on flying the
instrument of ratification to Washington for deposit around
March 30 as well. The Ambassador noted that the USG had
heard similar positive statements from the GoS regarding the
timing for the completion of the Slovene ratification
process. Both the Ambassador and Nobilo agreed that it was
wise to also be prepared for the scenario the Ambassador
discussed with FM Jandrokovic (ref B) that envisioned the
possibility Slovene ratification might come at the last
minute. The Ambassador and Nobilo both stressed that it was
important for all the relevant players in this process to
coordinate closely with each other over the coming days to
deal with any issues that could arise.
BRADTKE