CGYOOL -- ZAGREB UPDATE DEC 28, 1992

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 02829 SIPDIS GENEVA PASS USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH: USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM SUBJECT: CGYOOL -- ZAGREB UPDATE DEC 28, 1992 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. NOISEMAKERS RESOUND THROUGHOUT ZAGREB OVER THE HOLIDAY. 130,000 DEAD IN WAR BY BOSNIAN COUNT. B-H BATTLES RAGE ON OVER WEEKEND. LASIC IS NEW CROAT REP ON B-H PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL. CANADIANS RETREAT FROM B-H. GERMAN AF CHIEF FLIES IN TO REVIEW SOLDIERS. RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TRAVELS TO SECTOR EAST AREAS. DURBROVNIK DROPS CURFEW AND PULA MONUMENT IS DYNAMITED- END SUMMARY. -------------- THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS IN ZAGREB -------------- UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02829 01 OF 03 281443Z ¶2. AS EXPECTED, EACH EVENING OF THE THREE-DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND PRODUCED A VIRTUAL NON-STOP SOUND EXTRAVAGANZA OF AUTOMATIC RIFLE FIRE, BOMBS, AND VERY LARGE FIRECRACKERS AUDIBLE THROUGHOUT THE ZAGREB AREA. ALTHOUGH AS YET UNREPORTED IN THE PRESS, A VERY LARGE EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN ZAGREB AROUND 8:10 P.M. DECEMBER 27. MORE OF THE SAME IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND. THE LOCALS NONCHALANTLY ADVISE ONE AND ALL TO KEEP THE DRAPES DRAWN AND HEADS DOWN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. THESE "CELEBRATIONS" RECALL THOSE OF LAST CHRISTMAS WHEN EC RECOGNITION OF CROATIAN INDEPENDENCE APPEARED IMMINENT. -------------- B-H GOVT REPORTS LOSSES NOW TOP 130,000 -------------- ¶3. THE BOSNIAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR ANNOUNCED THAT, ACCORDING TO ITS INCOMPLETE STATISTICS, SOME 130,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE WAR. THE CASUALTIES INCLUDE 117,000 ADULTS AND 13,000 CHILDREN. OVER 65,000 HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. - -------------- STARVATION DEATHS REPORTED IN B-H -------------- ¶4. ACCORDING TO CROATIAN REPORTS FROM BOSNIAN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02829 01 OF 03 281443Z SOURCES, ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES WHICH SAW HEAVY FIGHTING THIS WEEKEND WAS ZEPA, EAST OF SARAJEVO. ON DECEMBER 27 TWO GROUND-TO-GROUND ROCKETS REPORTEDLY STRUCK ZEPA, KILLING THREE AND WOUNDING NINE OTHERS. THE REPORT NOTED THAT ZEPA IS WITHOUT FOOD, AND CHILDREN AND OLD PEOPLE ARE UNCLASSIFIED �0A; NNNN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02829 02 OF 03 281444Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 CA-02 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 CISA-02 DS-00 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 MFLO-03 M-01 NSAE-00 OCS-06 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PC-05 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-03 SDEL-00 SIL-00 SNP-00 SP-00 SR-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 T-01 USIE-00 ASDS-01 RPE-00 /091W -------------- 8AB32B 281445Z /38 O 281436Z DEC 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3191 INFO AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1273 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02829 02 OF 03 281444Z USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USVIENNA COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 02829 SIPDIS GENEVA PASS USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH: USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM SUBJECT: CGYOOL -- ZAGREB UPDATE DEC 28, 1992 DYING FROM STARVATION AND EXPOSURE. -------------- -- LASIC NEW B-H COUNCIL MEMBER -- HVO ON B-H TEAM -------------- -- ¶5. BOSNIAN SOURCES ANNOUNCED THE SELECTION OF MIRO LASIC AS THE CROATIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN THE BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY COUNCIL. MS. TATJANA GRUJIC-MILOSEVIC WAS ALSO SELECTED TO JOIN THE COLLEGIAL RULING BODY. MIRO LAZOVIC HAS BEEN NAMED THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE BOSNIAN PARLIAMENT. ¶6. THE BOSNIAN PRIME MINISTER MILE AKMADZIC TOLD SARAJEVO RADIO THAT "THE ARMED FORCES OF B-H AND THE HVO (CROATIAN DEFENSE COUNCIL) ARE NOT TWO SEPARATE ARMIES, BUT THE B-H ARMED FORCES CONSIST UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02829 02 OF 03 281444Z OF TWO EQUAL FORCES, THE B-H ARMY AND THE HVO." HE ADDED THAT MISUNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN THE BOSNIAN ARMY AND THE HVO WERE NOT ABOUT THE DEFENSE OF THE COUNTRY, BUT RATHER WERE OF AN "ORGANIZATIONAL NATURE" THAT WOULD BE SOLVED BY A JOINT COMMAND STRUCTURE. - -------------- CANADIANS RETREAT FROM BANJA LUKA -------------- ¶7. AFTER WEEKS OF STALEMATE OVER THE REFUSAL OF SERBIAN AUTHORITIES IN BANJA LUKA TO ALLOW FULL DEPLOYMENT, THE ADVANCE PARTY OF THE CANADIAN UNPROFOR BATTALION REPORTEDLY WITHDREW FROM BOSNIA AND RETURNED TO LIPIK IN SECTOR WEST. ACCORDING TO A UNPROFOR SPOKESPERSON, PART OF THE CANADIAN FORCES WILL BE SENT TEMPORARILY TO MACEDONIA AS PART OF THE UN EFFORT IN THAT COUNTRY. -------------- GERMAN AF CHIEF VISITS ZAGREB -------------- ¶8. COMMANDER OF THE GERMAN AIR FORCE GENERAL KLAUS NAUMANN VISITED ZAGREB DECEMBER 26 TO INSPECT THE GERMAN SOLDIERS ASSISTING UNPROFOR WITH THE SARAJEVO AIRLIFT. CROATIAN CHIEF OF STAFF BOBETKO AND AIR FORCE GENERAL AGOTIC RECEIVED THE GERMAN VISITOR. ACCORDING TO THE ZAGREB PRESS, NAUMANN STATED THAT BORDERS COULD UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02829 02 OF 03 281444Z NOT BE CHANGED BY FORCE AND ADDED THAT HE CONSIDERED IT STRANGE THAT GERMANY COULD ONLY ADVISE NATIONS WHO WERE FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM, BUT COULD NOT HELP MILITARILY. -------------- UNCLASSIFIED NNNN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02829 03 OF 03 281445Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 CA-02 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 CISA-02 DS-00 EB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 MFLO-03 M-01 NSAE-00 OCS-06 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PC-05 PM-02 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-03 SDEL-00 SIL-00 SNP-00 SP-00 SR-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-17 TRSE-00 T-01 USIE-00 ASDS-01 RPE-00 /091W -------------- 8AB340 281446Z /38 O 281436Z DEC 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3192 INFO AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1274 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02829 03 OF 03 281445Z USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USVIENNA COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 02829 SIPDIS GENEVA PASS USDEL ICFY - JACKOVICH: USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM PHUM HR BK CA RS GM SUBJECT: CGYOOL -- ZAGREB UPDATE DEC 28, 1992 RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR AND GENERAL TOUR HR EAST -------------- ¶9. RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO CROATIA LEONID KERESTEDJIJANC AND RUSSIAN UNPROFOR BATTALION COMMANDER IN SECTOR EAST GENERAL YURI SOSEDOV VISITED VINKOVCI, OSIJEK, AND PARTS OF SECTOR EAST OVER THE WEEKEND. PRESS REPORTS QUOTED THE AMBASSADOR AS SAYING: "RUSSIA IS ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE AND AGAINST THE AGGRESSOR, AGAINST CRIMES AND GENOCIDE. RUSSIA WILL AGREE WITH THE REST OF - THE WORLD ON THAT. THOSE WHO COUNT ON THE ORTHODOX FAITH HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE ORTHODOX FAITH HAS NEVER PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ANY CONFLICT SO THEIR HOPES ARE GROUNDLESS. RUSSIA HAS THE SAME POSITION AS ALL OTHER INTERNATIONAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02829 03 OF 03 281445Z FACTORS AND OUR POINT OF VIEW IS IDENTICAL BOTH FOR CROATIA AND BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, NAMELY, THAT BORDERS CANNOT BE CHANGED BY FORCE." THE AMBASSADOR SAID HE HAD TOLD THE SERBS, "WE CONSIDER SECTOR EAST TO BE PART OF CROATIA." -------------- - CURFEW OVER IN DUBROVNIK -- PULA BOMB INCIDENT -------------- - ¶10. CURFEW WAS LIFTED IN DUBROVNIK FOR CHRISTMAS AND WILL NOT BE REIMPOSED, ACCORDING TO CROATIAN AUTHORITIES. IN PULA ON THE DALMATIAN COAST, UNKNOWN PERPETRATORS BLEW UP A CROATIAN SCULPTURE DECEMBER 24. -------------- UNIDO PROJECT TO HELP HOUSING AND FOOD NEEDS -------------- ¶11. DEPUTY MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY DR. VERA TADIC ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 26 THAT THE UN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (UNIDO) HAS APPROVED A 7.3 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT FOR CROATIA. THE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS TO HOUSE REFUGEES AND TO HELP THE FOOD INDUSTRY. ITALY HAS ALREADY PLEDGED 718 THOUSAND US DOLLARS AND AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND CANADA ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE. NEITZKE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02829 03 OF 03 281445Z UNCLASSIFIED NNNN