CROATIA'S CARDINAL UNABLE TO ESCAPE HISTORY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 002326 SIPDIS ROME ALSO FOR VATICAN BAKU FOR DCM FINN E.O. 12356: DECL: 06/15/05 TAGS: PGOV PINR HR PINR HR PINR HR SUBJECT: CROATIA'S CARDINAL UNABLE TO ESCAPE HISTORY ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02326 01 OF 03 161531Z -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. IN AN APRIL 12 MEETING, CROATIA'S CARDINAL KUHARIC APPEALED TO THE AMBASSADOR FOR HELP FOR PERSECUTED MINORITIES IN THE BANJA LUKA REGION. DISCUSSING THE SITUATION IN CROATIA, THE CARDINAL ADVOCATED "EQUALITY" FOR THE SERBIAN POPULATION BUT WAS UNABLE TO COMPREHEND WHY SERBS MIGHT NOT ALWAYS FEEL THEY ARE TREATED "EQUALLY" IN CROATIA. BIO NOTE: KUHARIC TURNED 75 ON APRIL 15, 1995 AND, ACCORDING TO CANON LAW, SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO AUTOMATIC RETIREMENT. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE POPE WANTS HIM TO STAY ON, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING. THERE ARE NO CLEAR FAVORITES TO SUCCEED HIM. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- LAST CHANCE TO HALT ETHNIC CLEANSING IN NORTHERN BOSNIA -------------- -------------- ¶3. ON APRIL 12 THE AMBASSADOR MET WITH FRANJO CARDINAL KUHARIC WHO MADE AN APPEAL ON BEHALF OF THE LONG-SUFFERING MINORITIES IN BANJA LUKA, NOW UNDER EVEN GREATER PRESSURE AS A RESULT OF CROATIA HAVING RETAKEN SECTOR WEST AND OTHER MILITARY REVERSES SUFFERED BY THE SERBS. THE CARDINAL ESTIMATED THAT IN THE NORTHERN BOSNIA AREA THERE ONLY REMAIN 30,000 MUSLIMS AND 20,000 CROATS "SLEEPING IN THE WOODS" (FROM A PRE-WAR POPULATION OP 356,000 MUSLIMS AND 181,000 CROATS). HE SOUGHT A CLEARLY WORDED STATEMENT PROM THE WEST TO PUT THE SERBS ON NOTICE THAT ETHNIC CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02326 01 OF 03 161531Z CLEANSING MUST CEASE IMMEDIATELY. ¶4. THE AMBASSADOR EXPRESSED SYMPATHY POR THE CARDINAL'S CONCERNS BUT QUESTIONED WHETHER MORE WORDS WOULD MAKE ANY DIPFERENCE. HE NOTED THAT THE WORLD HAD ALREADY MADE CLEAR TO THE SERB AUTHORITIES THAT THEY WOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN BANJA LUKA AND ELSEWHERE. HE CITED THE WORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AND THE EFFORTS BY THE USG TO COLLECT EVIDENCE OP WAR CRIMES AND ATROCITIES. YET IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE SERBS ONLY UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE OF PORCE. ¶5. ASKED IP HE SAW ANY CHANCE THAT THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH MIGHT PLAY A ROLE IN BRINGING ABOUT A PEACE SETTLEMENT, KUHARIC REPLIED THAT SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH WAS A NATIONAL CHURCH. ALTHOUGH THERE EXISTS MORE THAN ONE CURRENT, AND SOME MODERATES ARE INCLINED TOWARD A JUST SOLUTION, THE LEADERSHIP VIEWS THE WAR AS A "FIGHT AGAINST ISLAM IN EUROPE AND CATHOLICISM IN THE BALKANS." THEY EMBRACE THE RIGHT OF ALL SERRS TO LIVE IN ONE STATE AND AS SUCH ARE ALIGNED WITH THE MORE RADICAL POLITICAL ELEMENTS SUCH AS KARADZIC. -------------- -------------- CARDINAL STILL FIGHTING OLD BATTLES TO "CORRECT" HISTORY -------------- -------------- ¶6. TURNING TO CROATIA, THE AMBASSADOR OPINED THAT A PEACE PROCESS WAS POSSIBLE BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE CROATS TO RETHINK HOW THEY VIEW SERBS. REPEATED REFERENCES TO SERBS AS A "MINORITY" MAKE THEM FEEL UNWELCOME AND INFERIOR. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02326 01 OF 03 161531Z ¶7. KUHARIC REPLIED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE SERBS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A MINORITY IN CROATIA, THEY FORMERLY FUNCTIONED AS A MAJORITY. AFTER RULING FOR 75 YEARS THEY DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT MERE "EQUALITY." FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SERBS ARE LAID OFF FROM A JOB THEY CLAIM DISCRIMINATION, IGNORING THE FACT THAT THOUSANDS OF CROATS ARE LAID OFF AS WELL. KUHARIC THEN RECITED THE FAMILIAR LITANY OF SERB ABUSES AGAINST THE CROATIAN PEOPLE BEGINNING IN 1918 WHEN A GROUP OF CROATS PROTESTING THE CREATION OF YUGOSLAVIA WERE FIRED UPON IN ZAGREB'S MAIN SQUARE AND ENDING WITH THE JNA ARMING THE LOCAL MILITIAS IN 1991. HE ARGUED THAT "THOSE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FREE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SLAVES." ¶8. THE AMBASSADOR COMMENTED THAT A SERB MIGHT RECITE A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT HISTORY OF YUGOSLAVIA, FOCUSSING MORE ON THE WWII NDH GOVERNMENT AND THE JASENOVAC CONCENTRATION CAMP. ¶9. THIS COMMENT LED THE CARDINAL TO DECLARE THAT, WHILE "IT WOULD BE A CRIME IF JUST ONE MAN WAS KILLED AT JASENOVAC," THE CHARGE THAT 700,000 WERE SLAUGHTERED COULD CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6587 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6587 PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02326 02 OF 03 161532Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 FBIE-00 INLB-01 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 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-01 PMB-00 PRMC-01 DRL-09 G-00 /031W -------------- D096C1 161621Z /38 R 161609Z JUN 95 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6155 INFO USLO SKOPJE AMEMBASSY BAKU AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK NATO EU COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 002326 SIPDIS ROME ALSO FOR VATICAN BAKU FOR DCM FINN E.O. 12356: DECL: 06/15/05 TAGS: PGOV PINR HR PINR HR PINR HR SUBJECT: CROATIA'S CARDINAL UNABLE TO ESCAPE HISTORY NOT BE TRUE OR THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY SERBS LEFT IN CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02326 02 OF 03 161532Z CROATIA. HE CITED NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF WWII ATROCITIES COMMITTED AGAINST CROATS. HE EXPRESSED HIS WILLINGNESS TO "PITY OVER EVERY TOMB" BUT REFUSED TO ACCEPT "HALF A CENTURY OF UNJUST PROPAGANDA AND LIES." HE INSISTED THAT ONE CANNOT CONDEMN AN ENTIRE NATION FOR CRIMES COMMITTED BY ITS LEADERS. -------------- --- PRINCIPLES CLEAR BUT RECONCILIATION WILL BE LONG -------------- --- ¶10. THE AMBASSADOR REPLIED THAT WAS PRECISELY THE POINT. IF PEOPLE INSIST ON FIGHTING THE BATTLES OF THE PAST THERE CAN BE NO FUTURE. CROATIA, AS A NEW, INDEPENDENT STATE, CAN AFFORD TO BE GENEROUS TO THE SERBS WHO LIVE HERE. SUCH A POLICY IS NOT ONLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT ALSO MAKES SENSE IN THE QUEST FOR PEACE. ¶11. THE CARDINAL RESPONDED SAYING THE SERBS DO NOT WANT PEACE AND THAT IS WHY THEY STARTED THE WAR. THE AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT IN 1991 IT WAS NOT THE SERBIAN PEOPLE BUT THE YUGOSLAV NATIONAL ARMY AND CERTAIN LEADERS IN KNIN WHO CHOSE TO FIGHT AGAINST AN INDEPENDENT CROATIA. THE MAJORITY OF SERBS CHOSE TO REMAIN IN CROATIA AND NOW THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT MUST CONVINCE THESE PEOPLE TO ACCEPT REALITY AND MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME. ¶12. THE CARDINAL EXPRESSED HIS AGREEMENT SAYING THAT THE PRINCIPLES ARE CLEAR BUT THE PROCESS WILL BE LONG AND HARD. ONE MUST UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE VICTIMS, THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT A SERB AFTER HE HAS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02326 02 OF 03 161532Z DESTROYED YOUR HOUSE AND MURDERED YOUR FAMILY. TO WHICH THE AMBASSADOR REPLIED THAT THE ANGER MUST BE DIRECTED TOWARD THE CRIMINAL, NOT TOWARD ALL SERBS. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶13. KUHARIC IS CLEARLY WELL-INTENTIONED AND HAS TRIED TO PUT INTO PRACTICE THE TOLERANCE THAT HE PREACHES. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HE HAS REACHED OUT TO CROATIA'S OTHER RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES. DURING THE WAR IN 1991 HE VISITED AN ORTHODOX CHURCH NEAR THE FRONTLINES AND SPOKE OUT AGAINST ANY ATTEMPTS TO TAKE REVENGE ON CROATIA'S ORTHODOX COMMUNITY. HE HAS STEADFASTLY SUPPORTED A UNITED BOSNIA AND CAME UNDER STRONG CRITICISM IN OFFICIAL CIRCLES AND EVEN AMONG HIS OWN CLERGY WHEN HE PROTESTED CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST MUSLIMS DURING THE CROAT-MUSLIM CONFLICT IN B-H. FORMER "HERCEG-BOSNA PRESIDENT" MATE BOBAN WROTE AN OPEN LETTER ACCUSING KUHARIC OF "BETRAYING THE INTERESTS OF THE CROATIAN PEOPLE." ¶14. BUT, LIKE SO MANY CROATS (ESPECIALLY OF HIS GENERATION),HE APPEARS UNABLE TO SHAKE THE DUST OF HISTORY OFF HIS FEET AND GIVE UP THE OLD BATTLES OF WHO DID WHAT TO WHOM AND WHEN. ALSO, LIKE MOST CROATS, HE IS UNABLE TO PUT HIMSELF IN THE PLACE OF OTHERS AND SEE WHAT DAILY LIFE AND ECONOMIC PROSPECTS MUST LOOK LIKE TO THE AVERAGE SERB LIVING IN CROATIA. ISOLATED BECAUSE OF HIS POSITION, HE FINDS IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SERBS ARE NOT ALWAYS TREATED "EQUALLY" IN CROATIAN SOCIETY. SO, WHILE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02326 02 OF 03 161532Z HE CAN PROBABLY BE COUNTED ON TO SPEAK UP IN THE FACE OF BLATANT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, HE IS NOT LIKELY TO PLAY A FORCEFUL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. -------------- BIO NOTE -------------- ¶15. FRANJO CARDINAL KUHARIC TURNED 75 ON APRIL 15, 1994 AND, ACCORDING TO CANON LAW, SHOULD BE FACING MANDATORY RETIREMENT. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGN THAT THE CARDINAL IS ABOUT TO STEP DOWN NOR HAS A COADJUTOR BEEN NAMED. GIVEN THAT NOTHING WAS SAID ON THE SUBJECT DURING THE VISIT OF POPE JOHN PAUL II TO ZAGREB LAST SEPTEMBER, IT IS GENERALLY FELT THAT THE CARDINAL WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN ON FOR AT LEAST A FEW MORE YEARS. - ¶16. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE OPEN SPECULATION OVER KUHARIC'S POTENTIAL SUCCESSORS. THOSE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED ARE HIS SECRETARY, STJEPAN KOZUL; ZAGREB'S ASSISTANT BISHOPS MARKO CULEJ AND JURAJ JEZERINAC (RECENTLY RETURNED FROM CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ6593 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6593 PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02326 03 OF 03 161532Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 INL-01 OASY-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 FBIE-00 INLB-01 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 SP-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-01 PMB-00 PRMC-01 DRL-09 G-00 /031W -------------- D096CD 161621Z /38 R 161609Z JUN 95 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6156 INFO USLO SKOPJE AMEMBASSY BAKU AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK NATO EU COLLECTIVE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 002326 SIPDIS ROME ALSO FOR VATICAN BAKU FOR DCM FINN E.O. 12356: DECL: 06/15/05 TAGS: PGOV PINR HR PINR HR PINR HR SUBJECT: CROATIA'S CARDINAL UNABLE TO ESCAPE HISTORY CANADA); THE BISHOP OF SIBENIK, SRECKO BADURINA; CARITAS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02326 03 OF 03 161532Z DIRECTOR MONSIGNOR VLADIMIR STANKOVIC AND SARAJEVO ARCHBISHOP VINKO PULJIC PRIOR TO HIS BEING MADE A CARDINAL IN HIS OWN RIGHT IN NOVEMRER OF LAST YEAR. ALL ARE RELATIVELY YOUNG (LATE 40'S EARLY 50'S) EXCEPT BADURINA WHO IS ALSO SAID TO BE IN POOR HEALTH. ¶17. KUHARIC APPEARS TO ENJOY EXCELLENT HEALTH AND IS THOUGHT BY MANY TO BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO GUIDE THE REGION'S CATHOLIC POPULATION THROUGH THESE TROUBLED TIMES. THE CARDINAL IS VALUED AS A MEDIATOR. HE HAS KEPT HIS LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. IN MAY OF 1994 KUHARIC MET IN SARAJEVO WITH SERBIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH PAVLE AND RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH ALEKSEJ II. TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN HE MET WITH JOVAN PAVLOVIC, METROPOLITAN FOR CROATIA, SLOVENIA AND ITALY (RESIDENT IN LJUBLJANA). WHEN THE AMBASSADOR LEFT HIS OFFICE, VELJKO KNEZEVIC, THE HEAD OF THE FRY'S LIAISON OFFICE IN ZAGREB WAS WAITING IN THE ANTEROOM. ¶18. AFTER THROWING THE CHURCH'S UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT BEHIND THE HDZ DURING CROATIA'S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE, KUHARIC WAS QUICK TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM TUDJMAN AND THE OFFICIAL PARTY AFTERWARDS. HE HAS OPENLY OPPOSED THE IDEA OF CROATIAN STATE IN WHICH CROATS WOULD HAVE GREATER RIGHTS THAN OTHER NATIONALITIES. IN AUGUST OF 1993, AFTER THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION ON WHICH TUDJMAN DELIVERED A POLITICAL ADDRESS IN A DALMATIAN CHURCH, THE CARDINAL STRICTLY FORBID THAT ANY POLITICIAN BE PERMITTED SPEAK ON CHURCH PREMISES. HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH TUDJMAN HAS BEEN COOL. A TUDJMAN AIDE REPORTEDLY ASKED ONCE, "WHY DOESN'T THE CARDINAL INVITE THE PRESIDENT IN FOR A COFFEE WHEN HE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02326 03 OF 03 161532Z COMES TO MASS IN THE CATHEDRAL?" ¶19. SARAJEVO MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. GALBRAITH CONFIDENTIAL NNNN