Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ZAGREB244
2009-05-06 11:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:
CROATIA ACCEPTS REHN'S PROPOSAL FOR RESOLVING
how-toVZCZCXRO7581 OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHVB #0244 1261143 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 061143Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9190 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 6448 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000244
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL HR SI EUC
SUBJECT: CROATIA ACCEPTS REHN'S PROPOSAL FOR RESOLVING
BORDER DISPUTE
REF: A. 09ZAGREB226
B. 09ZAGREB218
C. 09ZAGREB215
D. 09ZAGREB175
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000244
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL HR SI EUC
SUBJECT: CROATIA ACCEPTS REHN'S PROPOSAL FOR RESOLVING
BORDER DISPUTE
REF: A. 09ZAGREB226
¶B. 09ZAGREB218
¶C. 09ZAGREB215
¶D. 09ZAGREB175
¶1. (U) After political consultations with all parliamentary
parties and President Mesic on May 5, the Government of
Croatia has announced that it will agree to EU Enlargement
Commissioner Ollie Rehn,s latest proposal to resolve the
border dispute with Slovenia. President Mesic and Prime
Minister Sanader presided over the meeting of all party
leaders, and told the press afterwards that all participants
had agreed on the elements of the proposal. Sanader noted
that there were elements of the proposal that Croatia would
have approached differently, but that "now is not the time to
bring those up." President Mesic added that "this is about a
'take it or leave it' proposal, and we have chosen the 'take
it' variant." Government sources told the press that the
GoC's official decision would be communicated to Rehn on May
6, but noted that FM Jandrokovic had already called Rehn to
inform him of the news.
¶2. (SBU) Sanader's Foreign Policy Advisor, Davor Stier,
confirmed to the Ambassador on the morning of May 6 that
Croatia had accepted the Rehn proposal without changes. It
had been clear to both sides in Rehn's last meeting with the
Croatian and Slovenia Foreign Ministers in April that his
proposal was a take it or leave it ultimatum. Stier added
that there were elements in the Rehn proposal that posed some
risks to Croatia,s case, but that ultimately it was a
balanced deal that provided an opportunity to move the
dispute toward resolution. Stier emphasized the broad
political consensus that was reached on accepting the
proposal. While he was unsure of the specific process by
which the decision would be formalized (a parliamentary
debate or a formal session of the government),he stated that
formal confirmation of Croatia,s decision would be sent to
Rehn by the end of the day on May 6.
BRADTKE