Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ZAGREB711
2009-12-04 15:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

Zagreb Daily Report - December 04, 2009

Tags:  PGOV PREL HR AF XT ECON 
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VZCZCXRO7933
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0711 3381507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041507Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9703
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS ZAGREB 000711 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR AF XT ECON
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - December 04, 2009

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000711

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR AF XT ECON
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - December 04, 2009


1. (U) Prime Minister Reacts to Brammertz Report, Pledges to
Continue Investigation: Responding to ICTY Prosecutor Brammertz's
report to the UN Security Council on December 3, in which he
welcomed Kosor's initiative to set up a special task force to find
missing documents, Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor told reporters that
she was glad to see that Brammertz has recognized Croatia's latest
efforts to locate the missing documents. "Our task force is
continuing its work," she said. "Getting at the truth about the
documents is primarily in Croatia's interest....It is in our
interest to find out if they existed and if so, where they are now.
If they disappeared, [we want to know] how that happened and who was
the last person to hold them."


2. (U) Croatian FM Emphasizes GoC Support for Afghanistan
Initiative: In Brussels for the NATO Ministerial, Croatian Foreign
Minister Gordan Jandrokovic echoed comments a day earlier by PM
Kosor that the GoC strongly supports President Obama's new policy on
Afghanistan. Without mentioning specific numbers, he added that,
"We are looking for a way to reinforce the Croatian component,
primarily its role of assisting in the training of the Afghan
security forces and police for taking over their duties and assuming
responsibility for the situation in the country."


3. (U) Government Sets Date for New Shipyards Tender: The Cabinet
on December 3 announced its decision to publish the new round of
tenders for Croatian shipyards on January 6. No terms for the new
tenders have been released, except that the price will once again be
a symbolic one kuna. The Government will continue to consult
closely with the EU on the terms for the tender to ensure it meets
the EU's criteria for opening of accession negotiations on the
competition policy chapter. The previous tender offer in October
2009 failed to attract any bidders.


4. (U) President Mesic Makes Farewell Visit to Macedonia: On
December 3, Mesic paid his fifth and final official visit to
Macedonia as Croatian President. Speaking of the name dispute,
Mesic said that the issue could be solved without calling into
question the Macedonian identity and without Greece feeling
threatened. "That would open the way for Macedonia to Euro-Atlantic
integration, which Croatia supports and is ready to assist Macedonia
and all other countries in the region on that road." Mesic said
Greece should separate this bilateral issue with Skopje from
Macedonia's EU and NATO membership negotiations so that Macedonia
could join the two organisations. He drew a parallel with a
Croatian-Slovenian border dispute and the agreement by the
governments in Zagreb and Ljubljana to refer the case to
international arbitration.


5. (U) EU GAERC to Consider Beginning Drafting of Croatia Accession
Treaty, Budget Amounts: The Swedish EU presidency has established a
working group to draw up Croatia's accession treaty, now that
Croatia has closed 15 negotiating chapters. The EU's Committee of
Permanent Representatives (COREPER) in Brussels will review the
proposal today and forward it to Foreign Ministers for Monday's
General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting. Ministers
are also expected to adopt a financial package for 2012 and 2013
that would make Croatia a net beneficiary of the EU budget to the
tune of EUR 2.2 billion (USD 3.3 billion).

FOLEY