UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTOR EAST, RAMLJAK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 SIPDIS VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE HELSINKI FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR SUBJECT: UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTOR EAST, RAMLJAK ANGERED BY FURTHER EXPULSIONS REF: ZAGREB 779 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) IN A MAY 18 CONVERSATION WITH UNPROFOR OFFICIAL MIKAEL MAGNUSSON, MAGNUSSON SAID THAT WHILE CROATIAN FORCES WERE HOLDING TO AGREEMENTS IN SECTOR EAST, THE JNA APPEARED TO BE BENDING THE AGREED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00780 01 OF 03 191250Z TIMETABLE. CROATIAN ARMY AUTHORITIES WERE UPSET BY REPORTS OF AN EXTENSION GRANTED TO THE JNA BY UNPROFOR TO WITHDRAW JNA HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM SECTOR EAST. MEANWHILE, CROATIAN VICE PRESIDENT MILAN RAMLJAK COMPLAINED BITTERLY TO UN GENERAL NAMBIAR ABOUT THE ALLEGED EXPULSION OF 98 CIVILIANS FROM SECTOR EAST BY SERB FORCES AFTER UNPROFOR TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REGION. FROM THE CROATIAN PERSPECTIVE, THESE EVENTS CONTINUE TO PUT INTO QUESTION THE ABILITY OF UNPROFOR TO CARRY OUT ITS . MISSION. END SUMMARY. UNPROFOR COMMENTS ON SECTOR EAST -------------- ¶2. (C) WE QUERIED UNPROFOR ZAGREB SENIOR LIAISON OFFICER FOR CIVILIAN AFFAIRS MIKAEL MAGNUSSON (PROTECT) MAY 18 ON THE STATUS OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN SECTOR EAST (OSIJEK, VINKOVCI, VUKOVAR, ETC.). IN FRANK AND ADMITTEDLY UNOFFICIAL COMMENTARY, MAGNUSSON TOLD US THAT OPERATIONS IN THAT SECTOR WERE PROCEEDING "STICKINGLY". WHILE CROATIAN FORCES WERE ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIMETABLE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR FORCES FROM THE REGION, THE JNA, EXPLAINED MAGNUSSON, WAS APPARENTLY TRYING TO "BEND" THE TIMETABLE. WHILE THE REASONS FOR JNA RELUCTANCE TO WITHDRAW WERE NOT CLEAR, MAGNUSSON'S UNDERSTANDING (THOUGH HE COULD NOT CONFIRM THIS) WAS THAT THE JNA HAD RECEIVED UNPROFOR PERMISSION TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE BY WHICH HEAVY ARTILLERY WAS TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE UNPA. THE JNA IN SECTOR EAST CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 00780 01 OF 03 191250Z WAS NOW REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW ALL HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM THAT UNPA BY 1600 ON MAY 20. THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE WAS SET FOR 0800 ON MAY 18. CONFIDENTIAL ; NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00780 02 OF 03 191251Z ACTION IO-19 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 CISA-02 EB-01 EUR-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NEA-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PM-01 P-01 RP-10 SCT-03 SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SR-01 SSO-00 SS-01 STR-20 TRSE-00 T-01 /088W -------------- 343467 191303Z /38 O 191146Z MAY 92 FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0963 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY HELSINKI AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY KIEV AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG AMEMBASSY MADRID AMCONSUL MILAN AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMCONSUL MUNICH AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00780 02 OF 03 191251Z AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USIA WASHDC 1528 USEC BRUSSELS COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0433 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 SIPDIS VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR SUBJECT: UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTOR EAST, RAMLJAK ANGERED BY FURTHER EXSPULSIONS ¶3. (C) MAGNUSSON NOTED THE CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, PARTICULARLY AROUND OSIJEK. UNPROFOR PATROLS WERE COVERING ALL OF SECTOR EAST, HE EXPLAINED, AND RANDOM PATROLS WERE BEING RUN IN CRISIS AREAS OUTSIDE THE UNPA. SO FAR, SAID MAGNUSSON, UN PEACEKEEPERS WERE "TAKING NAMES, BUT NOT KICKING ASS." THEY HAD FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE JNA CONCERNING THE SLOWNESS OF ITS WITHDRAWAL. CROATIAN REACTION TO THE EXTENSION -------------- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00780 02 OF 03 191251Z ¶4. (U) IMMEDIATE CROATIAN REACTION TO THE UNPROFOR-GRANTED EXTENSION CAME FROM THE DEPUTY CROATIAN COMMANDER OF THE OSIJEK OPERATIONAL ZONE BRANIMIR GLAVAS. GLAVAS TOLD REPORTERS THAT CROATIAN FORCES WERE OPPOSED TO AGREEMENTS IN WHICH THEY WERE NOT CONSULTED (NOTE: REPORTEDLY, THE CROATIAN ARMY WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS REGARDING THE EXTENSION). GLAVAS ADDED THAT THE ARMY WOULD DO WHAT ITS GOVERNMENT ASKED IT TO DO BUT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE NAIVE. HE CONTINUED BY SAYING THAT "IF BY PEACEFUL MEANS, CROATIAN TERRITORY CANNOT BE LIBERATED, THEN WE WILL THANK UNPROFOR AND SAY DEAR SIRS, NOW IT IS FOR US TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE." GLAVAS CONCLUDED THAT THROUGH ACTIONS SUCH AS THE EXTENSION, UNPROFOR WAS LOSING ITS POLITICAL CREDIBILITY. CROATIAN ANGER OVER MORE EXPULSIONS -------------- ¶5. (U) CROATIAN VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE STATE COMMISSION FOR UNPROFOR MILAN RAMLJAK ADDRESSED A SHARPLY WORDED LETTER TO UN COMMANDER SATISH NAMBIAR MAY 18 COMPLAINING OF FURTHER EXPULSIONS OF CIVILIANS FROM SECTOR EAST BY SERB/JNA FORCES. THE TEXT OF RAMLJAK'S LETTER FOLLOWS: BEGIN TEXT. -- AFTER MY LETTER TO YOU TODAY IN WHICH I WARNED YOU THAT THE DELAY IN THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE JNA AND IN DISARMAMENT OF PARAMILITARY FORMATIONS IS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 00780 02 OF 03 191251Z ENCOURAGING THE SERBIAN SIDE AND CAUSING NEW VICTIMS AND DAMAGE, I RECEIVED WITH CONSTERNATION THE NEWS THAT YESTERDAY, AT 1900H, A GROUP OF 98 TORMENTED REFUGEES FROM THE VILLAGTE OF MIKLUSEVCI ARRIVED IN VINKOVCI. THE REFUGEES ARE OF RUTHENIAN NATIONALITY. I WISH TO REMIND YOU THAT IT IS A CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00780 03 OF 03 191253Z ACTION IO-19 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 CISA-02 EB-01 EUR-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NEA-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 PM-01 P-01 RP-10 SCT-03 SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SR-01 SSO-00 SS-01 STR-20 TRSE-00 T-01 /088W -------------- 34347F 191305Z /38 O 191146Z MAY 92 FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0964 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY HELSINKI AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY KIEV AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG AMEMBASSY MADRID AMCONSUL MILAN AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMCONSUL MUNICH AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00780 03 OF 03 191253Z AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USIA WASHDC 1529 USEC BRUSSELS COMSIXTHFLT//N2// CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0434 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 SIPDIS VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR SUBJECT: UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTORY EAST, RAMLJAK ANGERED BY FURTHER EXPULSIONS QUESTION OF A CRIME COMMITTED IN THE SECTOR WHICH IS UNDER YOUR CONTROL. ACCORDING TO PARAGRAPH 12 OF SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 752, YOU TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SECTOR ON MAY 15, 1992 AND THEREFORE YOU ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXILE AND SUFFERING OF THESE UNFORTUNATE PERSONS. THEY EXPECTED YOUR PROTECTION, INSTEAD THEY WERE EXPOSED TO THE RUDEST VIOLENCE. -- IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE EXILE WAS DONE WITH THE PROTECTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF UNPROFOR. UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS IS A CASE OF FAILURE IN THE EXECUTION OF THE PEACE OPERATION IN SECTOR "E" CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00780 03 OF 03 191253Z AND THEREFORE I REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING: -- UNPROFOR UNITS MUST URGENTLY ORGANIZE THE RETURN OF THESE 98 REFUGEES TO THEIR HOMES GIVING THEM FULL ASSISTANCE. -- TO ESTABLISH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUTHORIZED COMMANDER WHO FAILED TO UNDERTAKE NECESSARY MEASURES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS CRIME. END TEXT. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) AS WE NOTED IN REFTEL, CROATIA IS ANXIOUSLY WATCHING THE RESULTS OF UNPROFOR'S FIRST OPERATIONAL SECTOR. AFTER THE WEEKEND SHELLING OF OSIJEK, THE DECISION TO EXTEND THE JNA'S TIMETABLE FOR WITHDRAWAL AND THE ALLEGED SERBIAN EXPULSION OF CIVILIANS FROM MIKLUSEVCI HAS FURTHER DEGRADED RESPECT FOR UNPROFOR'S CAPABILITIES IN THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT, ARMY AND AMONG THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE. WHILE CROATIAN EXPECTATIONS MAY BE TOO HIGH, THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF UNPROFOR FAIRNESS AND ABILITY TO DO THE JOB WILL BE CRITICAL TO SUCCESS IN THE REMAINING SECTORS DUE TO COME UNDER UN CONTROL. END COMMENT. EINIK CONFIDENTIAL NNNN