Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ZAGREB453
2009-07-24 11:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JULY 24

Tags:  PGOV PREL EINV KHDP KCRM HR 
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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHVB #0453 2051156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241156Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9417
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
POLX
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000453 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV KHDP KCRM HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JULY 24

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000453

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV KHDP KCRM HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JULY 24


1. (SBU) BOZINOVIC APPOINTED MFA STATE SECRETARY FOR
POLITICAL AFFAIRS:
On July 16 the MFA announced that Davor Bozinovic would be
the new MFA State Secretary for Political Affairs, replacing
Bianca Matkovic who is now serving as Minister without
Portfolio in the new Kosor government. Bozinovic has held a
number of diplomatic postings including MFA State Secretary
for European Integration and Croatia,s Ambassador to NATO.
Bozinovic is a good contact of the Embassy and played a key
role in the GoC,s public education campaign explaining the
benefits of NATO to Croatians. (D,Amico)


2. (SBU) POLICE INVESTIGATING EXPLOSION IN SIBENIK:
On July 21 in the coastal town of Sibenik an explosive device
attached to the car of a local security guard went off when
he was driving near local government offices. Although the
driver did not sustain any injuries, one Croatian bystander
was seriously wounded and two Austrian tourists were slightly
injured. Unofficial sources told the press that the
explosive involved was an M75 hand grenade. Tourism
Minister Bajs stated publically and contacts at the Ministry
of Interior told post that they had ruled out terrorism as a
possible motivation for the explosion. The police were
investigating the possibility that the incident may be
related to the security guard,s connection to a local
political dispute or a personal grudge against him.
(D,Amico)


3. (SBU) POTENTIAL U.S. INVESTMENT IN TOXIC AGENT TRAINING
FACILITY SPARKS CONTROVERSY:
Embassy Commercial Office was contacted by Colorado based
KnoTox Inc. on July 21 regarding a $15 million joint
U.S.-Canadian investment in a live agent training facility on
the Dalmatian coast. The facility would reportedly provide
chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive
training services to the Croatian Ministry of Defense. The
company planned to hold a press conference July 23 to
announce an agreement with the MOD and requested Embassy
participation, which we declined. The company then sent out
a press release claiming strong support of the U.S. and
Croatian governments for the project, and announced that the
Canadian Ambassador and U.S. Defense Attache would attend.
The release immediately generated highly sensationalized,
negative press articles accusing the MOD of planning a
project with high potential risk to public safety. For its
part, the MOD claims they never made any agreement with the
U.S. company. KnoTox has since cancelled the press
conference as well as other press interviews they had
scheduled. The Embassy has reinforced to the press that we
have no connection to this company or its project.
(DWestfall)


4. (U) AMCHAM DONATES TO USG DEMINING PROJECT:
In a donation ceremony on July 16, the American Chamber of
Commerce donated $27,000 raised at the December 2008 Night of
1,000 Dinners in Zagreb. The funds will be used to supplement
USG donations for demining fields in the village of Slana
near the city of Petrinja. The agricultural fields have
known minefield records and, apart from one small gravel
road, completely surround the village church and cemetery.
Local media covered the donation ceremony and also
interviewed the owners of the fields which have been unusable
for more than 15 years. (CZimmer)


5. (U) US MILITARY REFURBISHES KNIN HOSPITAL:
The US European Command humanitarian project designed to
improve the functioning and working-conditions of the only
hospital in the mixed Croat-Serb area of Knin is in full
swing. More than a dozen US Airmen are in the midst of a
$130,000 project that will provide fresh paint throughout the
hospital, rework the building,s ventilation system, upgrade
the heating system, refurbish the sanitary facilities in the
children's wing. In addition to demonstrating to the local
community the direct benefits of US-Croatian military
cooperation, the project is giving US Air Force engineers the
opportunity to build relationships with their Croatian
military engineer counterparts at a nearby Croatian military
base. This project received strong support from local
officials, including the mayor, and received positive
coverage in local media. Overall, the US European Command
will provide around $800,000 in humanitarian assistance to
Croatia in 2009. (DMEGES)
WALKER