(C) FM GRANIC EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S. STATEMENTS IN NEW YORK ON HUMAN RIGHTS CONFIDENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 005299

SIPDIS


USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/05
TAGS:
SUBJECT: (C) FM GRANIC EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S.
STATEMENTS IN NEW YORK ON HUMAN RIGHTS
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1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY PETER W. GALBRAITH, AMBASSADOR,
PER 1.5 (B) AND (D).

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SUMMARY
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2. (S) CROATIAN FM GRANIC TOLD CHARGE FINN DECEMBER 29
THAT THE GOC WAS CONCERNED BY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK
THAT THE U.S. WAS "SUPPORTING" A RUSSIAN-SPONSORED
CONDEMNATION OF CROATIA'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. WAS
THIS, HE ASKED, A CHANGE IN POLICY? GRANIC
ACKNOWLEDGED CROATIA HAD "MADE MISTAKES," BUT ARGUED IT
WAS WORKING HARD TO CORRECT PROBLEMS AND, MAKING CLEAR
THERE WAS SOME SPACE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND OTHERS IN THE
GOC ON THESE ISSUES, EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT A
RESOLUTION LIKE THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE PUSHING WOULD
DAMAGE PROSPECTS FOR CROATIA-SERBIA NORMALIZATION,
REINTEGRATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA, AND PEACE IN B-H.


3. (C) CHARGE ASSURED GRANIC THERE WAS NO SHIFT IN
U.S. POLICY, BUT RATHER CONTINUITY -- CROATIA'S HUMAN
RIGHTS PROBLEMS WERE AND WOULD REMAIN A SERIOUS U.S.
CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SO LONG AS GOC STATEMENTS ABOUT
REMEDIES WERE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH EFFECTIVE ACTION.
END SUMMARY.

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GRANIC REVIEWS CROATIA'S POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
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4. (U) CHARGE WAS SUMMONED TO THE MFA DECEMBER 29 FOR
A MEETING WITH FM GRANIC. ALSO PRESENT WERE ASSISTANT
MINISTER FOR BILATERAL AFFAIRS BISCEVIC, CHEF DE
CABINET MATEK, DIRECTOR FOR NORTH AMERICA GRABAR, AND
U.S. EMBASSY POLOFF.


5. (C) RECALLING HIS RECENT "VERY PRODUCTIVE" TALKS
WITH SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER, GRANIC EMPHASIZED THAT
CROATIA WISHED TO COOPERATE FULLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF DAYTON, AND HAD DONE SO, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE
ZUPANJA AREA. (CHARGE OBSERVED THAT THIS WAS CORRECT
AND WAS MUCH APPRECIATED.) GRANIC ADDED THAT THE GOC
WOULD SEND A DELEGATION TO THE DISARMAMENT TALKS IN
VIENNA AND COOPERATE FULLY IN EFFORTS THERE. HE NOTED
PROGRESS IN EASTERN SLAVONIA, WITH MG KLEIN CURRENTLY
IN ZAGREB, A UNSC RESOLUTION EXPECTED SOON, AND SOME
PROGRESS ON THE NECESSARY TROOP CONTINGENTS. IT HAD
BEEN AGREED DECEMBER 27 THAT HE WOULD VISIT BELGRADE
JANUARY 10 (WEATHER PERMITTING). THERE WAS "NO DOUBT"
THAT CROATIA WOULD COOPERATE FULLY IN THE NORMALIZATION
PROCESS WITH SERBIA.

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HUMAN RIGHTS PRESSURE COULD DELAY NORMALIZATION
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6. (C) IN THIS CONTEXT, HOWEVER, THE UNSYG'S REPORT ON
HUMAN RIGHTS MIGHT BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. CROATIA HAD
"SHOWN WHAT IT IS DOING NOW," AND HAD TAKEN MANY STEPS
TO CLEAN UP ITS ACT AND PREVENT FURTHER "MISTAKES,"
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ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. THE GOC HAD MADE
CLEAR ITS POLICY WOULD BE TO PROSECUTE ALL CRIMES. ON
DECEMBER 27, THE GOVERNMENT HAD "RESOLVED THE QUESTION
OF PROPERTY," AND ON DECEMBER 28 IT HAD MET TO WORK UP
ITS "PROPOSAL" TO THE SABOR ON THIS. THE HAGUE
TRIBUNAL WAS SENDING INVESTIGATORS TO CROATIA JANUARY
4-5 AND THEY WOULD HAVE FULL COOPERATION.

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U.S. COOPERATING WITH RUSSIA TO PRESSURE THE GOC
-------------- ---


7. (C) BUT RUSSIA HAD SEIZED ON THE BOUTROS-GHALI
REPORT TO PUSH IN THE UNSC FOR A RESOLUTION ON HUMAN
RIGHTS IN CROATIA. ON DECEMBER 28, THE U.S. REP HAD
SUPPORTED THE RUSSIAN APPROACH, USING RATHER STRONG
LANGUAGE. "WE KNOW THAT YOU HAD PRESSURE FROM
MILOSEVIC," GRANIC SAID, BUT PRESSURE ON THE GOC NOW
WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL. IT WAS ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE THAT

THE U.S., NOW AS IN THE PAST, OFFER "CRITICAL
SUGGESTIONS" ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES, WHICH STIMULATED
DISCUSSION AND REMEDIAL ACTION. THE GOC WAS ENTIRELY








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ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 OASY-00 SRPP-00
EB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-01 ADS-00
M-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01
P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 PRM-10 PRME-01 PRMC-01 DRL-09 G-00
/031W
-------------- 0C8658 291641Z /38
P 291642Z DEC 95
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8463
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
NATO EU COLLECTIVE
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-PMA/J21//
NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 005299

SIPDIS


USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/05
TAGS:
SUBJECT: (C) FM GRANIC EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S.
STATEMENTS IN NEW YORK ON HUMAN RIGHTS
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PREPARED TO OWN UP TO ITS SHORTCOMINGS AND TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM, BUT THIS PROCESS MUST APPLY
THE SAME STANDARD TO ALL, INCLUDING SERBIA.


8. (S) THE U.S. REP, GRANIC CLAIMED, HAD FOR THE FIRST
TIME SEEMINGLY "LED" AN EFFORT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE
GOC ALONE. GRANIC ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE U.S.
ACTION IN NEW YORK; WAS THIS, HE ASKED, A "CHANGE OF
POLICY" TOWARD CROATIA? CHARGE, NOTING HE HAD NOT YET
RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF PROCEEDINGS IN NEW YORK
DECEMBER 28, SAID U.S. POLICY ON CROATIA HAD NOT
"SHIFTED," NOR WAS IT DRIVEN BY ANY PRESSURE FROM
MILOSEVIC. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WERE A LONGSTANDING AND
MAJOR COMPONENT OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY; SERIOUS HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES HAD BEEN COMMITTED IN CROATIA, AND THE
U.S. WOULD CONTINUE TO CALL ATTENTION TO THEM,
ESPECIALLY SO LONG AS THERE WAS A CLEAR GAP BETWEEN
STATED POLICY AND EFFECTIVE ACTION.

9. (C) GRANIC CONCEDED THERE HAD BEEN A GAP BETWEEN
POLICY AND ACTION, BUT ARGUED IT WAS BEING CLOSED.
STEPS WERE BEING TAKEN ON THE PROPERTY ISSUE AND ON
RETURN OF REFUGEES, THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 3,000
REMAINING "REAL" APPLICANTS FOR RETURN WHOSE CASES
REMAINED UNRESOLVED; PROCEDURES WOULD BE EXPEDITED; IT
WAS SELF-EVIDENT THAT THOSE WHO WERE APPLYING TO COME
BACK TO CROATIA WERE NOT WAR CRIMINALS. BUT EASTERN
SLAVONIA COULD NOT BE POSTPONED; DELAYS THERE WOULD
HAVE "INTERNAL REPERCUSSIONS" THAT WOULD ALSO BE FELT
ON THE BOSNIA PROCESS.

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10. (C) CHARGE SAID THAT NO ONE IN THE U.S. WAS
SUGGESTING POSTPONEMENT OF EASTERN SLAVONIA. ON THE
CONTRARY, WE WERE PUSHING HARD TO GET THE PROCESS UNDER
WAY AND WERE WORKING TO HAVE ALL THE ELEMENTS IN PLACE
BY JANUARY 15. HE NOTED THAT EASTERN SLAVONIA WOULD
OFFER THE GOC AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE WITH
DEEDS THAT IT WANTED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN POLICY
AND TANGIBLE RESULTS. THERE HAD BEEN MANY OFFICIAL
STATEMENTS ON THE RIGHT OF RETURN, BUT SO FAR ONLY A
HANDFUL HAD BEEN ALLOWED, AND NOT TO THE KRAJINA AREA.

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BETWEEN THE LINES, DIVERGENT VIEWS WITHIN THE GOC
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11. (S) GRANIC EMPHASIZED MORE THAN ONCE HIS OWN
"PERSONAL" COMMITMENT TO BETTER GOC HUMAN RIGHTS
PERFORMANCE. (COMMENT: IT HAS LONG BEEN EVIDENT THAT
OTHERS IN THE GOVERNMENT, VIZ. SUSAK AND TUDJMAN, ARE
LESS PERSUADED OF THIS COURSE). BISCEVIC, SEEING US
OUT, ALSO PLEADED FOR U.S. "UNDERSTANDING" OF THE
"PRACTICAL ASPECTS" OF HUMAN RIGHTS PRESSURES, WHEN
GRANIC HAD TO DEFEND HIS PRO-HUMAN RIGHTS STANCE WITHIN
THE GOVERNMENT. CHARGE SAID THE U.S. UNDERSTOOD, BUT
CROATIA SHOULD ALSO WORK TO IMPROVE ITS HUMAN RIGHTS
PERFORMANCE.


12. (U) SARAJEVO MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

GALBRAITH

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