Cablegate: Letter of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman

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

301206Z Jan 92

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USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0615
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0111

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 00146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PGOV PGOV PGOV
SUBJECT: LETTER OF CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN
TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

1. THERE FOLLOWS LETTER OF JANUARY 21 OF CROATIAN
PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
CONCERNING HIS WRITINGS AND PERSONAL VIEWS ON THE
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SITUATION OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN CROATIA.

BEGIN TEXT.

JANUARY 21, 1992

DEAR MEMBER OF CONGRESS:

ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF INDEPENDENT, DEMOCRATIC
CROATIA, I EXTEND MY GREETINGS TO THE DISTINGUISHED
AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS.
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I AM COMPELLED TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU IN RESPONSE TO
RECENT ARTICLES THAT HAVE APPEARED IN THE GENERAL
PRESS IN THE U.S. THAT HAVE ACCUSED ME OF THE SERIOUS
CHARGE OF ANTI-SEMITISM. THE BASELESS CHARGES STEM
MAINLY FROM INACCURATE TRANSLATIONS FROM CROATIAN INTO
ENGLISH OF MY WRITINGS AS WELL AS QUOTATIONS THAT ARE
EITHER ERRONEOUS OR TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.

I AM DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THESE FALSE ALLEGATIONS AND
CONSIDER THEM TO BE A STAIN ON MY PERSONAL CHARACTER
AND HONOR, AND BY EXTENSION THAT OF THE CROATIAN
PEOPLE. THIS LETTER IS MEANT TO SEEK YOUR
UNDERSTANDING AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE OF MY PAST AND PRESENT POSITION ON THE SUBJECT.

1. IN 1941, THE NAZI PUPPET REGIME IN OCCUPIED
CROATIA PUT A PRICE ON MY HEAD. THE SAME YEAR, A
LEADING JEWISH PHYSICIAN FLED CROATIA AND ENTRUSTED ME
WITH THE SAFEKEEPING OF HIS SON.

2. I FOUGHT THE NAZIS DURING WORLD WAR II AS A MEMBER
OF THE RESISTANCE FORCES, ATTAINING THE RANK OF
GENERAL. MANY CROATIANS FOUGHT AGAINST THE USTASHA
REGIME OF TERROR AND EVIL AND AGAINST THE NAZI-FASCIST
OCCUPATION.

3. MY BROTHER WAS KILLED BY THE NAZIS IN 1943.

4. MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE KILLED BY THE COMMUNISTS
IN 1946.
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5. I WAS JAILED BY THE POST-WAR COMMUNIST REGIME
BECAUSE OF MY ANTI-TOTALITARIAN POLITICAL VIEWS.

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ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 CSCE-01 HA-09
H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-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
------------------093121 301305Z /38
O 301206Z JAN 92
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0352
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 1146
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
USMISSION USNATO 1403
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USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0616
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0112

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 ZAGREB 00146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PGOV PGOV PGOV
SUBJECT: LETTER OF CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN
TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

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6. I AM UNALTERABLY OPPOSED TO OPPRESSION FROM THE
RIGHT AND THE LEFT, AND I CONDEMN IN THE STRONGEST
TERMS POSSIBLE THE EVIL GENOCIDE WHICH THE NAZIS AND
THEIR PUPPET COLLABORATORS IN CROATIA AND OTHER
COUNTRIES PERPETRATED AGAINST THE JEWS, GYPSIES,
CROATIANS, SERBS AND OTHER GROUPS.

THE SYSTEMATIC PROCESS THE NAZIS DEVELOPED AND
IMPLEMENTED TO EXTERMINATE THE JEWS OF EUROPE MADE IT,
UNDENIABLY, ONE OF THE GREATEST CRIMES IN HISTORY
AGAINST MANKIND.

IN THIS REGARD, THE USTASHA REGIME OF THE INDEPENDENT
STATE OF CROATIA COMMITTED COUNTLESS WAR CRIMES AND
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CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. I DEEPLY REGRET THE FACT
THAT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF CROATIA WAS VICTIMIZED AS
PART OF THE HOLOCAUST OF WORLD WAR II.

AS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, I WILL OPPOSE
THE SPECTER OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN CROATIA WHENEVER IT
REARS ITS UGLY HEAD, AS IT DOES FROM TIME TO TIME IN
MANY COUNTRIES. I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANTI-SEMITISM IN
ANY FORM WHATSOEVER. ALL CROATIANS INCLUDING CROATIAN
JEWS KNOW THIS. I FOUGHT FOR AND STRONGLY SUPPORT THE
NEW CONSTITUTION OF CROATIA WHICH PROTECTS INDIVIDUAL
HUMAN RIGHTS AND GUARANTEES THE RIGHTS OF ALL
MINORITIES IN CROATIA.

SINCE MY ELECTION ON APRIL 1, 1990, I HAVE TAKEN THE
FOLLOWING STEPS IN SUPPORT OF THIS POLICY:

1. I HAVE ISSUED AN APPEAL SEEKING FUNDS TO RESTORE
THE DESTROYED JEWISH SYNAGOGUE IN ZAGREB, AND I AM
WORKING WITH CROATIAN JEWS TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE.
IN ADDITION, I HAVE RETURNED THE PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY
CONFISCATED BY THE STATE TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS, THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY OF CROATIA.

2. I PUBLICLY ENDORSED THE REPEAL OF THE "ZIONISM IS
RACISM" RESOLUTION IN THE UNITED NATIONS, WHICH PASSED
THE UN.

3. I OFFERED TO PROVIDE TRANSIT TO JEWS WISHING TO
EMIGRATE FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION TO ISRAEL.
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UNTIL THE OUTBREAK OF THE RECENT SERBIAN WAR OF
AGGRESSION AGAINST CROATIA, EL AL HAD REGULAR DIRECT

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ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 CSCE-01 HA-09
H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-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
------------------09313B 301306Z /38
O 301206Z JAN 92
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0353
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 1147
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
USMISSION USNATO 1404
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PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00146 03 OF 04 301306Z
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0617
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0113

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ZAGREB 00146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PGOV PGOV PGOV
SUBJECT: LETTER OF CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN
TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

FLIGHTS FROM ZAGREB TO TEL AVIV.

4. FOLLOWING THE RECENT BOMBING OF THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY CENTER BY UNKNOWN INDIVIDUALS, I ATTENDED A
RALLY OF 40,000 CROATIAN CITIZENS TO EXPRESS MY
SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR THE 1200-MEMBER JEWISH
COMMUNITY OF ZAGREB.

5. AS SOON AS THE SITUATION IN CROATIA PERMITS, I
HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF TRAVELLING TO ISRAEL TO MEET
WITH ISRAELI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS, AND TO
VISIT THE YAD VASHEM MEMORIAL MUSEUM ON THAT
OCCASION. I WISH TO REITERATE MY DEEPEST SORROW AND
REGRET ABOUT THE LOSSES SUSTAINED BY THE JEWISH
COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE AND TO VOW IN THEIR MEMORY THAT
SUCH EVENTS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
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6. TWELVE JEWS SERVE IN HIGH RANKING POSITIONS WITHIN
THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT TODAY, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT
OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, TWO JUDGES OF THE SUPREME
COURT, THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY
GENERAL, AND THE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER.

7. A MAJOR STREET IN THE CENTER OF ZAGREB WILL BE
DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF THE CROATIAN JEWS WHO WERE
PERSECUTED DURING WORLD WAR II.

THE PEOPLE OF CROATIA ARE STRUGGLING TO BUILD LASTING
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND TO ASSURE A FREE AND
DEMOCRATIC FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. I URGE YOU
NOT TO BE MISLED AND MISINFORMED BY PROPAGANDA FROM
COMMUNIST SOURCES AND THEIR AGENTS SEEKING TO FALSELY
DEFAME ME AND, THUS, TO MANIPULATE FOR THEIR OWN
SINISTER PURPOSES THE SERIOUS SUBJECT OF THE
HOLOCAUST, THEREBY DAMAGING THE IMAGE AND ACCURATE
IDENTITY OF CROATIA AND ITS PEOPLE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ESTABLISHING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
WITH THE U.S. IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND ENHANCING THE
FRIENDSHIP THAT ALREADY EXISTS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF
OUR TWO DEMOCRATIC NATIONS.

IN CLOSING, I REITERATE MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL
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DEDICATION TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL
TENETS OF DEMOCRACY: RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE
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GUARANTEE OF FREEDOM AND PROTECTION OF MINORITY RIGHTS.

SINCERELY,

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ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 CSCE-01 HA-09
H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-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
------------------09313F 301306Z /38
O 301206Z JAN 92
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0354
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 1148
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
USMISSION USNATO 1405
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00146 04 OF 04 301306Z
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0618
COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
CTF SIXTWO
CTF SIXONE
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0114

UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ZAGREB 00146

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PGOV PGOV PGOV
SUBJECT: LETTER OF CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN
TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

FRANJO TUDJMAN
PRESIDENT

END TEXT.

EINIK

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