Cablegate: Reports of the European Community

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLASSIFIED SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569

SIPDIS

USMISSION USNATO 1096
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0306
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN
SLAVONIA
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

1. WE HAVE COMPILED A SERIES OF REPORTS FROM THE EC
OBSERVERS (WHO WERE IN GRUBISNO POLJE ON NOVEMBER 6
AND PLAN TO RETURN NOVEMBER 7), THE FIFTH MILITARY
DISTRICT OF THE JNA, AND CROATIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS
ON EVENTS, ALLEGED AND OTHERWISE, THAT HAVE RECENTLY
TAKEN PLACE IN WESTERN SLAVONIA. THE TEXTS OF THOSE
REPORTS FOLLOW.

-- REPORT ON EC MONITORING MISSION TEAM NOVEMBER 6
VISIT TO GRUBISNO POLJE AREA

2. BEGIN TEXT. ON 6 NOVEMBER, AN EC MONITORING
TEAM VISITED THE GRUBISNO POLJE AREA TO INVESTIGATE
A REPORT BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SFR YUGOSLAVIA
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 01 OF 04 071627Z
(LETTER DATED 4 NOV) THAT FORCES OF THE CROATIAN
NATIONAL GUARD (CNG) HAD BURNT OR DESTROYED SERBIAN
VILLAGES IN THE AREA AND KILLED THOSE INHABITANTS
WHO WERE UNABLE TO ESCAPE.

3. THE TEAM WERE ESCORTED BY THE PERSONNEL FROM THE
CNG. AS SERBIAN IRREGULARS AND UNITS OF THE
YUGOSLAV PEOPLES ARMY (YPA) REMAINED OPERATIONAL IN
THE AREA, THERE WERE SOME VILLAGES WHICH THE TEAM
WERE UNABLE TO VISIT FOR SAFETY REASONS.

4. THE TEAM INTERVIEWED THE COMMANDER OF THE LOCAL
CNG FORCES IN GRUBISNO POLJE WHO SAID THAT CROATIAN
FORCES HAD "LIBERATED" THE IMMEDIATE AREA IN TWO
DAYS OF FIGHTING FROM 31 OCT TO 1 NOV; THIS HAD
FOLLOWED A PERIOD OF 2-3 MONTHS OCCUPATION IN WHICH,
IT WAS CLAIMED, A NUMBER OF LOCAL CZECHS AND
CROATIANS HAD BEEN KILLED (16 IN THE VILLAGES
SUBSEQUENTLY VISITED), HOUSES BURNT AND OTHER LOCAL
INHABITANTS TERRORISED. THIS WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
DONE BY SERBIAN IRREGULARS (CHETNIKS) MADE UP FROM
AMONG THE LOCAL SERBIAN VILLAGERS. WITH THE ADVANCE
OF THE CNG FORCES, THE SERBIAN FORCES, SUPPORTED BY
YPA UNITS, HAD WITHDRAWN TOGETHER WITH MOST OF THE
LOCAL SERBIAN POPULACE FROM THE VILLAGES CONCERNED.
THE TEAM, STILL WITH CNG ESCORT FOR SAFETY,
SUBSEQUENTLY VISITED THE VILLAGES OF VELIKA
PERATOVICA, D RASENICA AND IVANOVO SELO; THEY ALSO
PASSED THROUGH PARTS OF THE VILLAGES OF MALA
PERATOVICA AND POLJANI AND THROUGH SERBIAN AREAS OF
GRUBISNO POLJE. THERE WAS CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 01 OF 04 071627Z
CHETNIK KILLINGS OF CZECH INHABITANTS OF VELIKA
PERATOVICA AND IVANOVO SELO, INCLUDING GRAVES, BLOOD
STAINED BLANKETS ACCOMPANIED BY BROKEN HUMAN TEETH,
AND THE PERSONAL WITNESS OF A NUMBER OF LOCAL CZECH

UNCLASSIFIED

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UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01569 02 OF 04 071628Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 CSCE-01
HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01
SCT-03 SNP-01 SP-01 SSO-00 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01
/052W
------------------A9A802 071630Z /38
O 071605Z NOV 91
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9918
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 0824
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY LISBON
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMCONSUL MUNICH
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01569 02 OF 04 071628Z
USMISSION USNATO 1097
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0307
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN
SLAVONIA
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

VILLAGERS. ONLY ONE SERBIAN COUPLE WAS FOUND DURING
THE VISITS BUT THEY CONFIRMED CNG CLAIMS THAT THERE
HAD BEEN NO CNG MALTREATMENT OF THOSE SERBIANS WHO
HAD REMAINED IN THEIR VILLAGES. THIS WAS ALSO
CONFIRMED BY THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CZECHS TO WHOM
THE TEAM TALKED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SYSTEMATIC
DESTRUCTION OF SERBIAN HOMES THOUGH A NUMBER OF
HOUSES, INCLUDING THOSE OF LOCAL SERBS, HAD BEEN
DAMAGED IN THE CONFLICT. SOME OF THE DAMAGE TO
SERBIAN HOMES WAS SEVERE REFLECTING THE CNG USE OF
ARTILLERY. THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE OF MORE RECENT
BURNING OF A SMALL NUMBER OF SERBIAN HOUSES, FARM
BUILDINGS AND HAY STACKS. THE TEAM WAS UNABLE TO
ESTABLISH FROM THOSE INTERVIEWED WHETHER THIS WAS DUE
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 02 OF 04 071628Z
TO ACTS OF LOCAL REVENGE AGAINST THE PROPERTY OF
LEADING CHETNIK FIGURES, TO CNG ACTION OR TO A
RETROSPECTIVE SERBIAN SCORCHED EARTH POLICY.

5. IN CONCLUSION, WHILE THERE WAS COMPELLING
EVIDENCE OF CHETNIK EXCESSES DURING THEIR 2-3 MONTHS
PERIOD OF CONTROL OF THE AREA, THE TEAM COULD FIND NO
EVIDENCE OF SUBSEQUENT CROATIAN KILLINGS OR OF A
SYSTEMATIC POLICY OF DESTRUCTION OF SERBIAN PROPERTY
ON THE PART OF THE CNG OR LOCAL CROAT OR OTHER
MINORITY GROUPS. A SECOND VISIT WILL BE MADE BY AN
EC MONITORING TEAM ON 7 NOV TO INVESTIGATE THE
POSITION IN OTHER VILLAGES REFERRED TO IN THE LETTER
FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF SFR YUGOSLAVIA. END TEXT.

-- JNA REPORT

6. BEGIN TEXT. ON 1 NOV 91 THE MEMBERS OF NATIONAL
GUARD AND MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF
CROATIA HAVE UNDERTAKEN A BROAD AND EXTREMELY BRUTAL
OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE SERBIAN POPULATION IN THE AREA
OF SOUTHERN SLOPES OF MT. BILOGORA AND AT THE
DIRECTIONS OF VELIKI GREDJEVAC-GRUBISNO POLJE-IVANOVO
SELO AND THE VILLAGE OF LEVINOVAC-MIOKOVICEVO.
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

7. EIGHTEEN (18) SERBIAN VILLAGES WERE SET ON FIRE,
AS PER INCOMPLETE DATA AND INFORMATION, WHILE THE
NUMBER OF KILLED AND WOUNDED CITIZENS IS HIGH.

8. REFUGE OF SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF SERBS, MOSTLY
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 02 OF 04 071628Z
WOMEN, OLD PEOPLE AND CHILDREN, ARE ON THE MOVE
TOWARDS THE SLAVONIAN MOUNTAINS AND BANJA LUKA.

9. APART FROM THAT, A PROCLAMATION FOR FORCED EXODUS

UNCLASSIFIED

NNNN

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 CSCE-01
HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01
SCT-03 SNP-01 SP-01 SSO-00 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01
/052W
------------------A9A82B 071631Z /38
O 071605Z NOV 91
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9919
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 0825
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY LISBON
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMCONSUL MUNICH
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z
USMISSION USNATO 1098
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0308
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN
SLAVONIA
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

OF THE SERBIAN POPULATION FROM APPROX. TWENTY SEVEN
(27) VILLAGES IN THE POZESKA KOTLINA (SLAVONSKA
POZEGA) HAS BEEN ISSUED AND THEY ARE DIRECTED TO THE
ALREADY ORGANIZED CAMPS.

10. FURTHER TO THE ABOVE STATED, WE DEMAND THAT THE
HEAD OF THE EC MONITORING MISSION STRONGLY PROTESTS
WITH THE CROATIAN AUTHORITIES AGAINST THESE GENOCIDE
ACTIONS AND OTHER PROCEDURES AND TO SEND URGENTLY THE
MONITORING TEAMS FOR COLLECTING OF RELEVANT DATA AND
SUBMITTING OF REPORTS TO THE EC MONITORING MISSION.

11. A REQUEST WAS ADDRESSED TO THE REGIONAL
COORDINATION CENTER OF THE EC MISSION IN SARAJEVO
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z
THAT THE MONITORS, FROM THE SUB-CENTER ALLOCATED IN
BANJA LUKA IMMEDIATELY PAY VISIT TO LT. COL. GENERAL
NIKOLA UZELAC WHO WILL INFORM THEM IN DETAILS ON
DRAMATIC POSITION OF THE SERBIAN PEOPLE IN THE
WESTERN SLAVONIA. END TEXT.

-- CROATIAN ARMY REPORT (ROUGH CONSULATE TRANSLATION)

12. BEGIN TEXT. ALREADY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF
TIME, SINCE THE AGGRESSION ON THE CROATIAN REPUBLIC
BEGAN, JNA ENEMY FORCES AND CHETNIK UNITS ARE TRYING
TO ACHIEVE THEIR IMPERIALIST GOAL OF "GREAT SERBIA".
NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO REALIZE THIS IRRATIONAL GOAL
CONFIRM THOUSANDS OF HURT CIVILIANS, DESTROYED
CROATIAN VILLAGES AND TOWNS. CHILDREN, WOMEN,
WOUNDED, OLD AND FEEBLE ARE NOT SPARED FROM THE WAR
SUFFERINGS CAUSED BY THE OCCUPYING FORCES.
WP U
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

HOSPITALS, CHURCHES, KINDERGARTEN SCHOOLS, OLD FOLKS
HOMES, OBJECTS OF ZERO CATEGORY, ETC., ARE DESTROYED.

13. ONE OF THE MANY DAMAGED PLACES IS GRUBISNO POLJE
WHICH FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO
ENEMY MILITARY ACTION. ATTACKS FROM THE AIR AND
MORTAR SHELLS THREATENED IN ADDITION TO THE TOWN ALSO
CROATIAN VILLAGES IN THE AREA AND IN ADDITION TO THE
SUFFERINGS OF CIVILIANS, GREAT MATERIAL DAMAGE WAS
DONE.

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 03 OF 04 071629Z
14. TO JUSTIFY ALL THIS, AND TO DRAW ATTENTION FROM
THEIR OWN CRIMES, THE ENEMY IS USING ITS SERBIAN
PROPAGANDA TO CONVINCE THE WORLD THAT CROATIA IS AN
"USTASHA COUNTRY" AND IN CONNECTION WITH THIS, IS

UNCLASSIFIED

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UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 DODE-00 CSCE-01
HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 NSAE-00
NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01
SCT-03 SNP-01 SP-01 SSO-00 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01
/052W
------------------A9A837 071631Z /38
O 071605Z NOV 91
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9920
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 0826
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY LISBON
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMCONSUL MUNICH
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z
USMISSION USNATO 1099
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0309
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//

UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ZAGREB 01569

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS MOPS MOPS MOPS
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
MONITORS, CROATIAN ARMY AND JNA ON EVENTS IN WESTERN
SLAVONIA
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

LAUNCHING NEW MISINFORMATION WHICH AS A RULE REVEAL
FURTHER CRIMINAL INTENTIONS.

15. AN EXAMPLE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED IS THE STRIKING
SUBJECT OF THE SERBIAN MEDIA IN RECENT DAYS, ABOUT A
SUPPOSED BURNING OF SERBIAN VILLAGES AND KILLING OF
"UNARMED" SERBIAN PEOPLE ON THE TERRITORY OF GRUBISNO
POLJE FROM THE SIDE OF "USTASHA COMBATANTS." BY
THIS, FOR WHO KNOWS HOW MANY TIMES, IT IS ATTEMPTED
TO CREATE MISUNDERSTANDING, IN ORDER, UNDER THE
PRESSURE OF THE WORLD PUBLICITY, TO TRY TO PREVENT
MILITARY ACTION OF THE CROATIAN ARMY FROM THE
LIBERATION OF ITS OWN TERRITORY, AND TO JUSTIFY ITS
OWN IMPERIALIST ACTIVITY.
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z

16. THE CROATIAN ARMY IS LEADING AND WILL LEAD THE
LIBERATION WAR FOR EVERY INCH OF ITS HOMELAND
ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS. BY THE DIRTY
WAR WHICH WAS IMPOSED UPON US NOT ONLY FROM THE
GRUBISNO POLJE REGION, BUT FROM THE WHOLE CROATIAN
TERRITORY, ALL WILL DISAPPEAR WHO REACHED OUT FOR
CROATIAN TERRITORY AND ALSO THOSE WHO VIOLATED THE
CROATIAN STATE. THERE WILL BE NO MERCY IN THE NAME
OF ALL INNOCENT VICTIMS FROM VUKOVAR TO DUBROVNIK.
ALL LOYAL CITIZENS OF THE CROATIAN REPUBLIC HAVE NO
REASON FOR FEAR. CROATIAN SOLDIERS ARE DEFENDING
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

WITH THE INTERNATIONAL RULES OF MILITARY BEHAVIOR IN
DISTINCTION FROM THOSE WHO DID NOT

WP
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS

SUCCEED TO LEARN IT DURING MILITARY SCHOOLING. (NO
WONDER THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CRIMES|)

17. CROATIAN ARMY WILL WIN, FIGHTING TO THE LAST
DROP OF BLOOD IF THIS IS NECESSARY FOR ITS HOMELAND,
BUT THE FLAME WHICH BURNS ON THE GROUND OF THE
FORMER YUGOSLAVIA IS THREATENING WITH INCREASED
PROPORTIONS. IT IS THE VERY LAST MOMENT THAT THE
WORLD, WHICH SEES AND UNDERSTANDS ALL, VERY WELL,
UNDERTAKES SOMETHING. END TEXT.
EINIK
UNCLASSIFIED

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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01569 04 OF 04 071629Z

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