CGYOOL: CODEL DECONCINI OPENS THE MASH;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV PREL HR BK MK SUBJECT: CGYOOL: CODEL DECONCINI OPENS THE MASH; - MEETS WITH DEATH CAMP SURVIVORS; DISCUSSES - UNPROFOR, B-H, AND REFUGEES WITH TUDJMAN -------------- INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. UNDER HELSINKI COMMISSION AUSPICES, SENATOR DECONCINI AND REP. MCCLOSKEY VISITED CROATIA NOV 15. THEY HELPED OFFICIALLY OPEN THE U.S. ARMY MASH UNIT AT ZAGREB AIRPORT AND INTERVIEWED SEVERAL MEN FROM THE LATEST GROUP OF SERBIAN DEATH CAMP SURVIVORS IN KARLOVAC. PRESIDENT TUDJMAN TOLD THE CODEL THAT: HE WANTED THE VANCE PLAN FULLY IMPLEMENTED; UNPROFOR'S CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 01 OF 06 271301Z INABILITY TO DO SO WOULD RAISE THE QUESTION OF WHY UNPROFOR SHOULD BE EXTENDED; WITHOUT PEACE IN B-H, CROATIA COULD NEVER SECURE ITS BORDERS; THERE ARE NO CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN CROATIA AND THE THREE BOSNIAN CROAT DETENTION FACILITIES HAD BEEN ORDERED CLOSED BY BOBAN; CROATIA HAS NO TERRITORIAL DESIGNS ON B-H; IT SUPPORTS A SOVEREIGN, INDEPENDENT B-H COMPRISED OF THREE CONSTITUENT PEOPLES; THIS DID NOT MEAN DIVIDING B-H INTO THREE TERRITORIAL UNITS; CROATIA IS THREATENED WITH ECONOMIC DISASTER, IN PART OWING TO ITS REFUGEE BURDEN; CROATIA IS ACTIVELY SEEKING NORMALIZATION WITH THE SERBS OF CROATIA. END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. - -------------- MASH 212 OPENED WITH A FLOURISH -------------- ¶2. CODEL DECONCINI ARRIVED AT PLESO AIRPORT JUST IN TIME TO LEAD THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE US ARMY MOBILE SURGICAL HOSPITAL, MASH 212. THIS 300-PERSON HOSPITAL WILL SUPPORT UNPROFOR SOLDIERS FROM FIFTEEN NATIONS WORKING IN CROATIA AND BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA. -------------- MEETING WITH THE DEATH CAMP SURVIVORS -------------- ¶3. THE CODEL ARRIVED AT THE KARLOVAC UNHCR-RUN TRANSIT CENTER TO FIND A PUBLIC SQUARE FILLED WITH CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02517 01 OF 06 271301Z CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02517 02 OF 06 271302Z ACTION H-06 �0A; INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EUR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 OIC-02 SS-00 /028W -------------- 7F56DC 271303Z /38 P 271307Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2832 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2474 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GM//ECJ3/ECJ5// CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02517 02 OF 06 271302Z CTF SIXZERO//N2// CTF SIXONE//N2// CTF SIXTWO//N2// CTF SIXSEVEN//JOCC// FOSIF ROTA SP USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1096 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH MANY HUNDREDS OF SERBIAN DEATH CAMP SURVIVORS MILLING ABOUT. THE MORE THAN 2,000 EX-DETAINEES IN KARLOVAC AT THE TIME OF THE CODEL'S VISIT INCLUDED OVER 700 MEN JUST RELEASED FROM MANJACA. THE CODEL TOURED THE MASSIVELY OVERCROWDED FACILITY, VIEWING SLEEPING ROOMS WITH WALL-TO-WALL AND FLOOR-TO-CEILING BEDS, SEVERELY TAXED SANITATION FACILITIES, HALLWAYS SO CRAMMED WITH STILL-TRAUMATIZED MEN THAT MOVEMENT WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE, AND UNDERSTAFFED ICRC AND UNHCR CONTINGENTS ENGAGED IN A VALIANT, SUPERMHUMAN EFFORT TO MEET THE EX-DETAINEES BASIC NEEDS. AT A TABLE IN THE FEW SQUARE FEET OF SPACE NOT OCCUPIED BY BEDS OR BODIES, THE CODEL HEARD SEVERAL MOVING FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF SAVAGE MURDERS, SADISTIC TORTURE AND ASSORTED MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DEPRAVITY WHICH CHARACTERIZED EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE CAMPS. ON EXITING THE FACILITY, THE CODEL SPOKE FRANKLY TO THE PRESS ABOUT THEIR IMPRESSIONS. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 02 OF 06 271302Z -------------- MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TUDJMAN -------------- - ¶4. SENATOR DECONCINI TOLD PRESIDENT TUDJMAN THAT THE U.S. CONGRESS REMAINED VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EVENTS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. HE NOTED HIS JUST-CONCLUDED VISIT TO THE EX-DETAINEE TRANSIT CAMP AND THE UGLY STORIES THAT HE HAD HEARD THERE. ¶5. TUDJMAN WELCOMED THE DELEGATION AND REITERATED CROATIA'S COMMITMENT TO DEVELOP A DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. HE NOTED THAT HE HAD WON A MANDATE IN HIS RE-ELECTION AS PRESIDENT IN AUGUST. HE RECALLED THAT THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN HAD BEGUN WITH CONCERN THAT EXTREMISTS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT -- THE CROATIAN PARTY OF RIGHT AND THE EX-COMMUNISTS CROATIAN PARTY OF RENEWAL -- WOULD EACH GARNER SOME 15 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. IN THE EVENT, EACH EXTREME WON ONLY 3-5 PERCENT. -------------- CROATIA'S ECONOMIC PLIGHT -------------- ¶6. TUDJMAN SAID THAT CROATIA FACED SERIOUS ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AS IT MADE THE TRANSITION FROM A SOCIALLY- OWNED TO A FREE-MARKET ECONOMY. INFLATION IS CLIMBING, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV MARKET AND THE BURDEN OF MILITARY DEFENSE EXPENDITURES. THE WAR DESTROYED A GREAT PART OF CROATIA'S PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. . CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02517 02 OF 06 271302Z CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02517 03 OF 06 271305Z ACTION H-06 INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EUR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 OIC-02 SS-00 /028W -------------- 7F56E8 271305Z /38 P 271307Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2833 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2475 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GM//ECJ3/ECJ5// CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02517 03 OF 06 271305Z CTF SIXZERO//N2// CTF SIXONE//N2// CTF SIXTWO//N2// CTF SIXSEVEN//JOCC// FOSIF ROTA SP USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1097 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH CROATIA SUPPORTED SOME 300,000 DISPLACED CROATS AND 450,000 REFUGEES FROM BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA (B-H). THIS WAS BEYOND CROATIA'S ABILITY TO COPE. INTERNATIONAL HELP FOR THE REFUGEES HAD BEEN INSUFFICIENT. THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM WAS TO CONTROL INFLATION SUFFICIENTLY TO MOVE TO CURRENCY CONVERTIBILITY IN 1993. -------------- UNPROFOR AND THE UNPAS -------------- - ¶7. TUDJMAN SAID UNPROFOR MUST COMPLETE ITS MISSION, WHICH IS TO IMPLEMENT THE VANCE PLAN FULLY. HE ASKED RHETORICALLY WHY, IF UNPROFOR WERE UNABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE VANCE PLAN BY MARCH 1993, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED. HE SAID CROATIA WANTED TO SEE: 1) THE RETURN OF THE DISPLACED PERSONS; 2) DISARMING OF THE SERBIAN PARAMILITARIES; AND 3) REOPENING OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION LINKS THROUGHOUT THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 03 OF 06 271305Z COUNTRY. HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SERBS IN THE UNITED NATIONS PROTECTED AREAS (UNPAS) ARE ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERBS IN CROATIA. BUT PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS WAS CRITICALLY DEPENDENT ON RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT IN BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA. -------------- CROATIA'S ACTIONS IN BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA -------------- ¶8. TUDJMAN SAID CROATIA HAD A VITAL INTEREST IN PEACE IN B-H, WITHOUT WHICH THERE COULD NEVER BE PEACE ALONG CROATIA'S BORDERS WITH B-H. CROATIA WANTS B-H TO REMAIN A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT NATION OF ITS THREE CONSTITUENT PEOPLES, TUDJMAN STATED. B-H'S POLITICAL ORGANIZATION MUST BE BASED ON THE RIGHTS OF ALL THREE PEOPLES. IN B-H, THE TWO KEY PROBLEMS ARE: HOW TO STOP SERBIAN AGGRESSION AND HOW TO GET THE MUSLIMS TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. ¶9. SENATOR DECONCINI NOTED THAT VARIOUS CRITICISMS WERE OFTEN LEVELLED AGAINST CROATIA IN THE U.S. HE ASKED TUDJMAN HOW ONE OUGHT TO RESPOND TO CHARGES THAT THE CROATS TOO HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN ATROCITIES IN DETENTION CAMPS THEY RAN IN B-H AND THAT CROATIA HAD TERRITORIAL DESIGNS ON PARTS OF B-H. THE SENATOR ADDED THE QUESTION WHETHER, IF CROATIA WERE FIXED ON A "THREE PEOPLES" APPROACH TO B-H, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT A DIVISION OF B-H TERRITORY. - CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02517 03 OF 06 271305Z CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02517 04 OF 06 271306Z ACTION H-06 INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EUR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 OIC-02 SS-00 /028W -------------- 7F56FF 271306Z /38 P 271307Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2834 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2476 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GM//ECJ3/ECJ5// CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02517 04 OF 06 271306Z CTF SIXZERO//N2// CTF SIXONE//N2// CTF SIXTWO//N2// CTF SIXSEVEN//JOCC// FOSIF ROTA SP USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1098 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 04 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH ¶10. TUDJMAN SAID THE BOSNIAN CROATS HAD TAKEN UP ARMS BECAUSE THEY FELT THREATENED BY SERBIAN AGGRESSION AND BECAUSE THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN SARAJEVO HAD NOT PREPARED ADEQUATELY TO DEFEND THEM. THE BOSNIAN CROATS INITIALLY FELT SO ENDANGERED THAT MANY OF THEM WERE ADVOCATING SECESSION AND JOINING CROATIA. IT WAS THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT, TUDJMAN SAID, WHICH HAD BLUNTED THE SECESSION MOVE AND STRONGLY URGED BOSNIAN CROATS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE B-H INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM. ULTIMATELY, BOSNIA'S CROATS WERE THE FIRST TO OPPOSE SERBIAN AGGRESSION. ONLY LATER HAD THE MUSLIMS JOINED IN IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY. ¶11. TUDJMAN SAID CATEGORICALLY THAT THERE WERE NO CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN CROATIA AND, AS FAR AS HE KNEW, NONE IN THE CROATIAN-DEFENDED AREAS OF B-H. DURING THE WAR WITH THE YUGOSLAV ARMY LAST YEAR, CROATIA HAD HAD SEVERAL POW CAMPS BUT THOSE WERE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 04 OF 06 271306Z CLOSED WHEN THE PRISONERS WERE EXCHANGED. TUDJMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE HAD BEEN INDIVIDUAL CASES OF VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CROATIA BY EXTREMISTS, EVEN THOUGH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT HAD CALLED ON THE PEOPLE TO ACT RESPONSIBLY. THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WAS STRICT RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF CROATIA. LATER IN THE CONVERSATION, DEPUTY PREMIER GRANIC CLARIFIED THAT THE BOSNIAN CROATS MAINTAINED THREE DETENTION CAMPS, ALL OF WHICH HAD BEEN VISITED BY THE ICRC. MATE BOBAN, AT "GENEVA'S" REQUEST, HAD ORDERED ALL THREE CLOSED. GRANIC SAID CROATIA HAD ONLY SOME 30 SERBIAN PRISONERS, WHO HAD BEEN AWAITING EXCHANGE WITH SERBIA -- BUT PANIC HAD BEEN UNABLE TO DELIVER. ¶12. TUDJMAN STATED THAT CROATIA HAD NO TERRITORIAL DESIGNS ON B-H. HOWEVER, CROATIA IS VITALLY INTERESTED IN B-H DEVELOPMENTS928,& 59 &39-POLITICAL AND HISTORICAL REALITIES. A B-H SOLUTION BASED ON THE THREE CONSTITUENT PEOPLES DID NOT MEAN DIVISION INTO THREE TERRITORIAL UNITS. CROATIA COULD WORK WITH THE VANCE/OWEN 7-9 UNITS APPROACH. -------------- ENDING THE B-H WAR WOULD HELP WITH KOSOVO -------------- ¶13. TUDJMAN AGREED WITH REPRESENTATIVE MCCLOSKEY'S EXPRESSION OF CONCERN OVER SERBIAN ACTIONS IN KOSOVO. TUDJMAN SAID THE KEY TO PREVENTING WAR IN KOSOVO WAS TO STOP IT IN B-H. THE BELGRADE GOVERNMENT HAD ACTED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02517 04 OF 06 271306Z CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02517 05 OF 06 271307Z ACTION H-06 INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EUR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 OIC-02 SS-00 /028W -------------- 7F572D 271307Z /38 P 271307Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2835 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2477 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GM//ECJ3/ECJ5// CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02517 05 OF 06 271307Z CTF SIXZERO//N2// CTF SIXONE//N2// CTF SIXTWO//N2// CTF SIXSEVEN//JOCC// FOSIF ROTA SP USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1099 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 05 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH UNJUSTLY IN DEPRIVING THE ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO OF THE RIGHTS THEY HELD UNDER TITO'S SYSTEM. HE AGREED THERE WAS A RISK OF WAR EXPANDING INTO MACEDONIA, WHICH SERBS STILL SOMETIMES REFER TO AS "SOUTHERN SERBIA." POSSIBLE GREEK/SERBIAN COLLUSION OVER MACEDONIA WAS ALSO OF CONCERN. -------------- THE UNITED STATES HAS THE MAIN ROLE -------------- . -------------- ¶14. TUDJMAN SAID THE U.S., AS THE LEADING WORLD POWER, HAS THE MAIN ROLE IN THE SOLUTION OF THE BALKAN PROBLEMS. HE RECALLED THERE HAD BEEN A STRONG AMERICAN INFLUENCE IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA AND HE SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD AGAIN BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THE PRESENT SITUATION. HE SAID THAT CROATIA IS READY TO COOPERATE IN FINDING WAYS TO END THE CONFLICTS IN THE REGION AND TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 05 OF 06 271307Z WITH ALL OF ITS NEIGHBORS. ¶15. SENATOR DECONCINI TOLD TUDJMAN THAT HE AND THE CROATIAN PEOPLE HAD MANY FRIENDS IN THE CONGRESS AND THAT HIS VISIT WAS A TANGIBLE EXPRESSION OF THAT FRIENDSHIP AND INTEREST IN CROATIA. HE SAID HIS DELEGATION WAS PLEASED TO HEAR FROM HIM DIRECTLY OF CROATIA'S COMMITMENT TO NEGOTIATIONS AND DEDICATION TO PEACE AND THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. -------------- CROATIA AND THE REFUGEES -------------- ¶16. THE SENATOR EXPRESSED SYMPATHY FOR CROATIA'S REFUGEE BURDEN, ABOUT WHICH NOT ENOUGH WAS KNOWN IN THE WEST. HE PLEDGED TO DO WHAT HE COULD TO GET THE WORD OUT ON CROATIA'S REFUGEE BURDEN AND THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE. ¶17. TUDJMAN SAID THE CROATIAN PEOPLE WERE PRETTY DISSATISFIED WITH THE EC AND THE UN CONSTANTLY TELLING THEM OF THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATION TO TAKE EVER MORE REFUGEES, EVEN AS CROATIA LACKED THE MEANS TO CARE FOR ITS OWN DISPLACED PEOPLE. HE NOTED THAT THE PREVIOUS DAY HE HAD PERSONALLY INTERVENED AT THE BEHEST OF THE ZAGREB JEWISH COMMUNITY TO APPROVE THE MOVEMENT TO CROATIA OF A GROUP OF 500 FROM SARAJEVO. "BUT WE ARE NOW THREATENED WITH ECONOMIC DISASTER," TUDJMAN EXCLAIMED. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02517 05 OF 06 271307Z CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02517 06 OF 06 271309Z ACTION H-06 INFO LOG-00 DS-00 EUR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 OIC-02 SS-00 /028W -------------- 7F575C 271309Z /38 P 271307Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2836 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2478 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GM//ECJ3/ECJ5// CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02517 06 OF 06 271309Z CTF SIXZERO//N2// CTF SIXONE//N2// CTF SIXTWO//N2// CTF SIXSEVEN//JOCC// FOSIF ROTA SP USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1100 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 06 OF 06 ZAGREB 02517 SIPDIS GENEVA FOR USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH ¶18. DEPUTY PREMIER GRANIC SAID CROATIA NOW HAS 450,000 BOSNIAN REFUGEES, 80 PERCENT OF WHOM ARE MUSLIM. THE REFUGEE BURDEN ABSORBS 20 PERCENT OF THE CROATIAN STATE BUDGET. GRANIC SAID CROATIA WAS EXTREMELY PERPLEXED BY CRITICISM OF CROATIA'S SUPPOSEDLY CLOSED BORDERS. THE FACT IS THAT CROATIA'S ARE THE ONLY OPEN BORDERS IN THE REGION. SINCE CROATIA HAD INSTITUTED ITS BORDER "CONTROLS" ON JULY 13, SOME 100,000 BOSNIAN REFUGEES HAD ARRIVED IN CROATIA AND ANOTHER 100,000 HAD TRANSITTED. CROATIA IS ALSO TAKING IN HUNDREDS OF EX-DETAINEES FROM THE SERBIAN PRISON CAMPS IN B-H. GRANIC REITERATED CROATIA'S APPRECIATION FOR THE MATERIAL HELP IT HAD RECEIVED, BUT HE STRESSED THAT CROATIA ALSO NEEDS MONEY TO PAY FOR ELECTRICITY, GASOLINE AND OTHER REFUGEE-RELATED DIRECT COSTS -- NOW RUNNING AT 110 MILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH. -------------- -- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02517 06 OF 06 271309Z RELATIONS WITH CROATIANS OF SERBIAN NATIONALITY -------------- -- ¶19. CROATIA WANTS TO SEE AN END TO AGGRESSION AND A RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE, INCLUDING NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH SERBS IN CROATIA, TUDJMAN SAID. HE POINTED OUT THAT CROATIA HAD PASSED LAWS ON ABOLITION (FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR AGAINST CROATIA BUT DID NOT COMMIT WAR CRIMES) AND AMNESTY (FOR THOSE ALREADY INDICTED OR SENTENCED FOR NON-WAR CRIMES ACTS COMMITTED IN THE WAR). HE EMPHASIZED THE EFFORTS HIS GOVERNMENT WAS MAKING TOWARD RESTORATION OF LAW AND ORDER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT HAD WORKED TO REIN IN CROATIAN EXTREMISTS AND HAD SEVERAL OF THEM WERE UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENT DUKIC, A SERBIAN HIMSELF, POINTED OUT THAT THE SERBS IN THE UNPAS ARE UNDER THE DOMINATION OF THE 5-10 PERCENT EXTREMISTS WHO ARE CONTROLLED BY BELGRADE. ¶20. IN CONCLUSION, PRESIDENT TUDJMAN TOLD THE CODEL THAT CROATIA IS FIRMLY COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY AND TO A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, INCLUDING A FREE PRESS. NEITZKE CONFIDENTIAL NNNN