RESTRAINED CROATIAN RESPONSE TO SLOVENIAN BLOCKING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000099 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO HR SUBJECT: RESTRAINED CROATIAN RESPONSE TO SLOVENIAN BLOCKING OF CROATIA'S ACCESSION TO THE EU AND NATO REF: LJUBLJANA 00040 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: So far the senior Croatian leadership has had a restrained response to a toughly worded resolution the Slovenian Parliament passed on February 19 regarding the border dispute with Croatia as well as the news that a referendum on Croatia's membership in NATO was moving forward in Slovenia. President Mesic on February 19 gave a television address to the nation in response to the latest developments in which he disputed the claims made by Slovenia but also stressed the need to avoid over dramatizing the situation. Mesic assured the nation that Croatia would eventually become a member of NATO and the EU, even if the country had to wait a little bit longer than expected. PM Sanader also rejected the territorial claims made in the resolution passed by the Slovenian parliament, but publicly stated that he still wanted to meet with Slovenian PM Pahor to ease the situation. On February 20 the MFA told the Ambassador that the two PMs would meet on February 24 in the small Slovenian border town of Mokrice. The Sabor on February 20 unanimously passed a resolution on the border dispute with Slovenia that stated the best forum to resolve such border issues is before the ICJ. So far the response from the Croatian side has been restrained, but the situation over the coming weeks will require even greater caution. End Summary. PRESIDENT MESIC'S TELEVISED ADDRESS TO THE NATION -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) President Mesic delivered a prime time television address to the nation on February 19. The address was in response to the toughly worded resolution passed by the Slovenian Parliament on the border dispute with Croatia as well as the news that a referendum on Croatia's membership in NATO was moving forward in Slovenia (reftel). Mesic opened his statements by noting that under the Croatian constitution he was responsible for the defense and territorial integrity of the country and that he considered it his duty to address the nation on the latest developments in Slovenia. He stated that Ljubljana's recent moves were blocking Croatia's progress towards becoming a member of the EU and now also threatened to block Croatia's accession into NATO, both of which are Croatia's top foreign policy priorities. The Slovenian "political elite" was using their countries membership in the EU and NATO as a tool to "blackmail" Croatia into accepting Slovenia's position on the border dispute. Mesic stressed that the border dispute should be decided by an international tribunal like the ICJ in accordance with international law and that Croatia was willing to accept such a decision regardless of how it came out. Mesic added that Slovenia's blocking of Croatia's negotiations with the EU and NATO accession affected the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of other countries in the region. This bilateral dispute now had ramifications for the entire region and therefore it was a problem not only for Croatia but also for members of the EU and NATO. MESIC URGES MODERATION AND PATIENCE -------------- ¶3. (U) In the second half of his address Mesic stressed that there was no need to over dramatize the situation. He cautioned that despite the latest developments, everything needed to be done to avoid damaging the relations between the people of Croatia and Slovenia. Croatia should avoid engaging in rhetoric and instead focus on the facts to resolve the border dispute. Mesic concluded by telling the Croatian people that one day Croatia would be in both the EU and NATO. It may not happen exactly when they wanted and expected it, but it would come to pass. In the meantime, Croatia would continue to carry out the necessary reforms for the sake of the country and its future. SANADER REJECTS SLOVENE CLAIMS BUT PLANS TO MEET PAHOR -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) PM Sanader on February 19 rejected the territorial claims made in the resolution passed by the Slovenian parliament and stated that he still expected Croatia to be a full member of NATO in time for the April 3 and 4 summit. However, he also said publicly that he still wanted to meet with Slovenian PM Pahor to ease the situation. On February 20 MFA State Secretary Bozinovic told the Ambassador that Sanader and Pahor would meet on February 24 in the small ZAGREB 00000099 002 OF 002 Slovenian border town of Mokrice. OPPOSITION ALSO CRITICAL OF GOS -------------- ¶5. (U) Main opposition leader Zoran Milanovic noted on February 19 that the problems caused by the Slovenian resolution and referendum were a consequence of a process initiated by the GoS. The GoS had lost control of the situation and now looked irresponsible. Milanovic said that the Sabor could respond, but that Croatia should defend its national interests in a civilized manner. SABOR PASSES RESOLUTION ON BORDER DISPUTE WITH SLOVENIA -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) Demonstrating that support for the GoC's position on the border dispute cuts across party lines, the Sabor on February 20 unanimously passed without debate a resolution on the border dispute with Slovenia. The text of resolution notes that Croatia supported Slovenia's accession to the EU and NATO. The resolution goes on to state that the Slovenian parliament's resolution passed on February 18 on the ratification of Croatia's NATO accession protocol and the border dispute prejudges the border. The Croatian resolution states that the best forum to resolve such border disputes is before the ICJ. It also notes that the Slovenian resolution is without precedent in the history of admitting members to NATO or the EU and may have unwanted consequences for future enlargement. The Sabor concluded its resolution by calling on Slovenia, for the sake of friendship, good neighborly relations and as two countries that will both be members of the Euro-Atlantic community, to resolve the border dispute in accordance with international law before a UN legal body. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) So far the senior political leadership in Croatia has responded to post's messages urging restraint and patience with the NATO ratification process in Slovenia. However, given the prospect that the Slovenian opponents of Croatia's entry into NATO have over a month to gather signatures to force a referendum, the situation merits close attention. BRADTKE