Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
95ZAGREB1944
1995-05-19 17:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

OPPOSITION LEADERS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SITUATION IN WESTERN SLAVONIA

Tags:  HR NOTAG 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001944 

SIPDIS


VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA; USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 5/17/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADERS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE
SITUATION IN WESTERN SLAVONIA
CONFIDENTIAL


CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01944 01 OF 02 191618Z

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001944

SIPDIS


VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA; USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 5/17/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADERS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE
SITUATION IN WESTERN SLAVONIA
CONFIDENTIAL


CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01944 01 OF 02 191618Z


1. CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


2. ON MAY 17/18, LEADING OPPOSITION FIGURES EXPRESSED TO
AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH THEIR VIEW THAT THE DEPARTURE OF
ETHNIC SERBS FROM WESTERN SLAVONIA WAS EQUIVALENT TO
ETHNIC CLEANSING AND A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY IN CROATIA.
MESIC COMPLAINED THAT OPPOSITION PARTIES HAD NOT BEEN
INFORMED ABOUT EVENTS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA. ONE PARTY
CHARGED THAT DEFMIN SUSAK, AMONG OTHERS, WAS IMPLICATED IN
WAR CRIMES. THE ALWAYS POLEMICAL SERB PARTY CHARGED THE
U.S. WITH COMPLICITY IN THE GOC'S "ETHNIC CLEANSING"; THE
AMBASSADOR VIGOROUSLY REJECTED THESE CHARGES, NOTING OUR
PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN ABOUT GOC HUMAN RIGHTS
PERFORMANCE. END SUMMARY.

--------------
OPPOSITION SHUT OUT OF SECTOR WEST
--------------

3. ON MAY 17, THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH STIPE MESIC,
PRESIDENT OF THE OPPOSITION CROATIAN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS
(HND). MESIC CHARGED THAT THE GOC WAS KEEPING THE
OPPOSITION IN THE DARK ABOUT THE SITUATION IN FORMER
SECTOR WEST AND EQUATED THE EXODUS OF SERBS WITH ETHNIC
CLEANSING. HE SAID THAT IF THE DEPARTURE OF SERBS
CONTINUED IT WOULD BE A STEP BACKWARD FOR DEMOCRACY IN
CROATIA. (NOTE: AS OF MAY 16, 1,100 SERBS -- OUT OF AN
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01944 01 OF 02 191618Z
ESTIMATED REMAINING POPULATION OF 5,000 -- HAD LEFT THE
AREA OF PAKRAC AND LIPIK FOR SERB-HELD TERRITORY IN
BOSNIA, AND ONLY 268 HAD RECEIVED THEIR CROATIAN
CITIZENSHIP PAPERS. HALF OF THE ESTIMATED 15,000 SERBS
INHABITING SECTOR WEST PRIOR TO THE INVASION ARE BELIEVED
TO HAVE FLED TO BOSNIA.) MESIC COMPLAINED THAT OPPOSITION
PARTY REPRESENTATIVES WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE AREA UNTIL
TWO DAYS AFTER MILITARY OPERATIONS HAD ENDED, AND WAS
DOUBTFUL THAT A VISIT NOW WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL
IMPACT.


4. ON MAY 18, THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH MILAN DJUKIC AND
VESELIN PEJNOVIC, PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
SERBIAN PEOPLE'S PARTY. DJUKIC, TYPICALLY POLEMICAL, SAID
THAT THE GOC'S MODEL OF PEACEFUL REINTEGRATION WAS
BECOMING A MODEL OF CROATIA WITHOUT SERBS. SERBS FROM

EASTERN SLAVONIA HAD NO INCENTIVE TO THINK ABOUT RETURNING
TO WESTERN SLAVONIA AT A TIME WHEN SERBS WERE LEAVING FOR
BOSNIA. DJUKIC CHARGED THAT THE GOC WAS COMMITTING ETHNIC
CLEANSING IN FORMER SECTOR WEST AND HAD SYSTEMATICALLY
DAMAGED ORTHODOX CHURCHES AND SERB HOMES. SPECIFICALLY HE
NOTED THAT THE HOUSE OF THE PARISH PRIEST IN JASENOVAC WAS
OCCUPIED BY THE HV. HE ALSO SAID THAT WHILE VISITING
JASENOVAC, HE PERSONALLY OBSERVED TROOPS LOOTING THE HOUSE
IN WHICH HIS WIFE WAS BORN. OTHER VILLAGES HE CLAIMED
WERE THE SITES OF WAR CRIMES WERE: PAKLENICA, LUDEVAC,
RAICI, COVAC, MLAKA, STARA GRADISKA, AND BOROVAC. DJUKIC
AND PEJNOVIC ACCUSED THE USG OF TACITLY SUPPORTING ETHNIC
CLEANSING THROUGH ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOC.


5. DJUKIC AND PEJNOVIC ALSO ASKED, IF THE GOC FIGURE OF
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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01944 01 OF 02 191618Z
350-450 SERB DEAD WAS CORRECT, WHERE THE BODIES WERE.
THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS HELD AT
POZEGA AND VARAZDIN. DJUKIC SAID THAT HV TROOPS
THREATENED TO BURN ALIVE ONE WOMAN IN THE VILLAGE OF
SEOVICA, WHO THEN ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE; WHILE
ANOTHER SERB IN THE VILLAGE REPORTEDLY HANGED HIMSELF
AFTER BEING INTIMIDATED. DJUKIC AND PEJNOVIC ALSO CLAIMED
THAT SERBS WERE BEING FORCED TO SELL THEIR HOMES AND
LIVESTOCK TO CROATS AT A FRACTION OP THEIR VALUE.


6. THE AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED TO MESIC THAT IT WOULD BE
USEFUL FOR OPPOSITION PARTIES TO CONTACT SERB LEADERS,
SUCH AS VELJKO DZAKULA IN PAKRAC. MESIC AGREED THAT
ESTABLISHING A POLITICAL DIALOGUE WITH LOCAL SERB LEADERS
COULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD CONVINCING PEOPLE WHO WERE
UNDECIDED ABOUT WHETHER THEY SHOULD STAY OR GO THAT THEY
HAD A PUTURE IN CROATIA. THE AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZED THAT
THIS WAS VITAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY AS WELL AS
CROATIA'S INTEGRATION INTO EUROPE. HE TOLD BOTH POLITICAL
PARTIES THAT THE U.S. IS NOT INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING
REINTEGRATION OP AN ETHNICALLY PURE COUNTRY. HE REPUTED
DJUKIC'S ACCUSATION OP USG SUPPORT FOR ETHNIC CLEANSING BY
POINTING TO STATEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD WHICH HAD








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NNNNPTQ0952





CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0952

PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01944 02 OF 02 191618Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 OASY-00 DODE-00
EB-01 FBIE-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-08 LAB-01
L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SCT-00 SP-00 SR-00
SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 PRME-01
PRMC-01 DRL-09 G-00 /032W
-------------- C77F90 191653Z /38
R 191712Z MAY 95
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5841
INFO JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
AMCONSUL MUNICH
USLO SKOPJE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
NATO EU COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 001944

SIPDIS


VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA; USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 5/17/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADERS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE
SITUATION IN WESTERN SLAVONIA
CONFIDENTIAL






CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01944 02 OF 02 191618Z

RAISED SERIOUS U.S. CONCERNS ABOUT GOC HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS DURING AND AFTER THE OPPENSIVE, INCLUDING THE
AMBASSADOR'S CRITICISM OP THE GOC'S DETENTION OF ELDERLY
RESIDENTS OP OKUCANI. THE AMBASSADOR SAID THE U.S.
OPPOSED THE USE OF PORCE AND CONSIDERED IT A VIOLATION OF
THE COPENHAGEN AGREEMENT. HE EMPHASIZED THAT THE UN
SHOULD CONTINUE ITS ROLE IN THE SECTOR SO THAT THE SERBS
WOULD HAVE ASSURANCES OF SAPETY.

--------------
CONCERNS ABOUT GOC POLICY ON BOSNIA
--------------


7. MESIC SAID THAT THE OPPOSITION HAD A NUMBER OF
CONCERNS ABOUT THE GOC'S POLICIES, NOT ONLY IN WESTERN
SLAVONIA, BUT ALSO IN BOSNIA. HE WAS WORRIED THAT TUDJMAN
WAS STRIKING SOME KIND OP DEAL WITH MILOSEVIC TO PARTITION
BOSNIA. THE AMBASSADOR QUOTED AN OP-ED PIECE IN THE
GOVERNMENT-INFLUENCED DAILY NEWSPAPER VECERNJI LIST WHICH
STATED THE NEED FOR A NEW SERB-CROAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT
ALSO THE REQUIREMENT THAT BONN AND WASHINGTON CHANGE THEIR
BOSNIA POLICY IN THE FACE OF GEOPOLITICAL REALITIES. THE
AMBASSADOR TOLD MESIC THAT THE USG WOULD NOT CHANGE ITS
POLICY, BUT MESIC THOUGHT TUDJMAN WAS CONVINCED THAT THE
WEST WOULD ALLOW THE DIVISION OP BOSNIA BECAUSE IT IS IN
CROATIA'S STRATEGIC INTEREST TO TAKE AS MUCH TERRITORY AS
POSSIBLE.


8. MESIC WAS ALSO UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE PUTURE OP UNCRO.
THE OPPOSITION DID NOT HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF WHERE UNCRO
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01944 02 OF 02 191618Z
WAS HEADED AND WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THE ISSUE WITH THE
UN.

-------------- --------------
CROATIA MUST COME TO TERMS WITH ITS OWN WAR CRIMINALS
-------------- --------------


9. MESIC AND DJUKIC ARGUED THAT CROATIA MUST ACKNOWLEDGE
ITS OWN WAR CRIMINALS TO DEMONSTRATE ITS CREDIBILITY WITH
THE SERB POPULATION, BUT SO FAR THE GOC HAD SHOWN NO
WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT THE ISSUE. THEY ASSERTED THAT
HIGH OFFICIALS HAD ORDERED KILLINGS AND ORGANIZED CAMPS IN
BOSNIA, BUT HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED BECAUSE THEY WERE CLOSE
TO TUDJMAN. THE AMBASSADOR ASKED SPECIFICALLY WHO ORDERED
KILLINGS. MESIC CLAIMED DEFMIN SUSAK WAS IMPLICATED IN
THE DESTRUCTION OF 32 SERB VILLAGES AFTER MILITARY ACTION
ENDED IN 1991. HE AND DJUKIC ALSO CHARGED THAT SINISA
LINAC, WHO CURRENTLY COMMANDS A UNIT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL
GUARD AND WAS FORMERLY SUSAK'S BODYGUARD, WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR MURDERING A SERB FAMILY IN ZAGREB AND ALSO KILLED
SERBS IN PAKRAC AND GOSPIC. THEY ALSO CHARGED THAT HV
LOGISTICS SUPPORTS MERCEP'S PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES IN
BOSNIA. MESIC ALSO NOTED THAT TUDJMAN BESTOWED HIGH
MILITARY HONORS ON A BRIGADE NAMED AFTER GENERAL JURE
BOBAN WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WAR CRIMES IN WORLD WAR II.


10. THE AMBASSADOR ASKED FOR MESIC'S IMPRESSIONS OF THE
GOC'S COMMEMORATION OF THE BLEIBURG MASSACRE IN 1945.
MESIC REPLIED THAT WHILE THE MASSACRE WAS A WAR CRIME, IT
SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT MANY OF THOSE KILLED WERE ALSO
WAR CRIMINALS RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING DEATH CAMPS, SUCH AS
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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01944 02 OF 02 191618Z
JASENOVAC. HE INSISTED THAT RECOGNITION OF THE BLEIBURG
VICTIMS NEEDED TO BE DEPOLITICIZED.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


11. WHILE WE HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE GOC'S HUMAN
RIGHTS PERFORMANCE IN WESTERN SLAVONIA, AT LEAST SOME OF
DJUKIC'S ACCUSATIONS APPEAR TO BE EXAGGERATIONS. EMBOFFS
HAVE VISITED SOME OF THE VILLAGES DJUKIC MENTIONED --
PARTICULARLY TWO VISITS TO SEOVICA -- AND HAVE HEARD
CREDIBLE STORIES OF INTIMIDATION, BUT NONE OF OUR CONTACTS
MENTIONED ANYTHING AS SERIOUS AS RESIDENTS COMMITTING
SUICIDE IN RESPONSE TO HV ABUSE. WE CONTINUE TO VISIT THE
AREA AND WILL CHECK OTHER VILLAGES THAT DJUKIC MENTIONED
TO US. ONE PATTERN THAT SEEMS TO BE EMERGING IS THAT
RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA IS
LACKING. THE RUMOR MILL THAT IS GUIDING THE DECISION-
MAKING OF RESIDENTS APPEARS TO EXTEND ZAGREB AS WELL.

GALBRAITH









CONFIDENTIAL








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