Cablegate: Zagreb Update: March 17, 1992

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

171523Z Mar 92

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AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
USMISSION USNATO 1553
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0772
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0240

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 00409

SIPDIS

BRUSSELS FOR USEC; VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINR ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS
SUBJECT: ZAGREB UPDATE: MARCH 17, 1992

-
SUMMARY

1. THE CROATIAN SUPREME STATE COUNCIL MET ON
MARCH 16 TO CONSIDER ISSUES RELATING TO LAW AND
ORDER, CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF SERBS IN
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CROATIA. IN A SERIES OF DECLARATIONS, THE COUNCIL
(UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PRESDIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN)
CALLED FOR RESPECTING THE LAW ON NATIONALITIES,
GRANTING AMNESTY TO THOSE COERCED INTO FIGHTING
AGAINST CROATIA AND THE PROSECUTION OF THOSE
GUILTY OF CRIMINAL ACTS. THE CROATIAN ASSEMBLY
WILL MEET ON MARCH 26-28 TO DISCUSS MANY OF THESE
ISSUES AS WELL AS OTHER CRITICAL LAWS,
PARTICULARLY THE NEW ELECTION LAWS. THE EC AND
CROATIAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES HAVE MET TO
DISCUSS NATIONALITY ISSUES, TOO UNDER THE BACKDROP
OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIST CONTINGENT OF UN
TYROOPS TO EASTERN SLAVONIA. THE CROATIAN PRESS
HAS REPORTED A RUMOR THAT VANCE AND CARRINGTON
WILL VISIT THE SLOVENE CAPITAL THIS WEEK.

CROATIAN SUPREME STATE COUNCIL MEETS

2. IN A SESSION GIVEN VERY PROMINENT MEDIA
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COVERAGE, THE CROATIAN SUPREME STATE COUNCIL
PRESIDED OVER BY PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN MET
MARCH 16 TO CONSIDER ISSUES RELATED TO CRIME, LAW
AND ORDER AND TREATMENT OF MINORITIES. ACCORDING
TO THE PRESS, THE COUNCIL EXAMINED THE EFFECT OF
THE LAW ON NATIONAL MINORITIES AND ISSUED THE
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

-- THE LAW IS NOT FULLY RESPECTED AND THIS
SERIOUSLY ENDANGERS THE STABILITY OF CROATIAN
DEMOCRACY AND LEGAL ORDER;

-- ESPECIALLY UNFAVORABLE REPERCUSSIONS AND
CONSEQUENCIES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE THE CASE WHEN
THE SECURITY OF SERBS HAS BEEN THREATENED;

-- THE ORGANS OF THE CROATIAN REPUBLIC HAVE
INSTITUTED CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST 4,576 CITIZENS
FROM THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY OF CROATIA WHO THEY
ALLEGE HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF VIOLATING THE HUMAN AND
NATIONAL RIGHTS OF CITIZENS;

-- IT IS NECESSARY TO GRANT AMNESTY TO
PARTICIPANTS OF AGGRESSION ON CROATIA WHO WERE
FORCEFULLY MOBILIZED;

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PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00409 02 OF 03 171524Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00 C-01 DODE-00
ITCE-00 CISA-02 DS-00 EB-01 EXME-00 EXIM-06 E-01
FRB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 ITC-01
JUSE-00 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
OPIC-08 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SCT-03
SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SR-01 SSO-00 SS-01 STR-20
TRSE-00 T-01 /108W
------------------1B9389 171524Z /38
O 171523Z MAR 92
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0607
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 1307
USDOC WASHDC
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
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PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00409 02 OF 03 171524Z
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
USMISSION USNATO 1554
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0773
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0241

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 00409

SIPDIS

BRUSSELS FOR USEC; VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINR ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS
SUBJECT: ZAGREB UPDATE: MARCH 17, 1992

-- COMPETENT ORGANS HAVE TO TAKE LEGAL MEASURES
AGAINST LAW-BREAKERS AND THE MINISTRY OF THE
INTERIOR HAS TO ISSUE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
AGAINST RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ACTED
"PARTIALLY AND INEFFICIENTLY" IN RESOLVING CASES
OF CRIMINAL ENDANGERING OF CITIZENS' IJVES AND
PROPERTY. IN CONNECTION WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE
DISARMAMENT OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION IS
NECESSARY;

-- IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL OF THE
CITIZENS OF CROATIA TO FOUND THE CITIZENS' PEACE
COUNCILS TO BE LOCATED IN MIXED REGIONS OF THE
REPUBLIC;

-- CITIZENS OF SERBIAN NATIONALLTY HAVE TO BE
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STIMULATED TO EXPRESS IN PUBLIC THEIR SPECIFIC AND
GENERAL POLITICAL VIEWS AND OTHER INTERESTS.

CROATIAN ASSEMBLY TO MEET

3. IN CONNECTION WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CROATIAN ASSEMBLY, ZARKO DOMLJAN,
ANNOUNCED MARCH 16 THAT THE ASSEMBLY WILL HOLD ITS
NEXT SESSION MARCH 26-28. HE INFORMED THE PUBLIC
THAT THE ASSEMBLY WOULD CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
ISSUES: THE 1992 BUDGET, RETURN OF REFUGEES AND
DISPLACED PERSONS TO THEIR HOMES, ELECTION LAWS,
DISCUSSION OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF UN PEACEKEEPING
FORCES IN CROATIA, AND AMENDMENTS TO THE
PRIVATIZATION LAW.

EC AND CROATIAN GOVERNMENT DISCUSS INTER-ETHNIC
RELATIONS

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4. A DELEGATION OF CROATIAN OFFICIALS CONSISTING
OF VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT
ZDRAVKO TOMAC, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
FOR FOREIGN POLICY, HRVOJE KACIC, MINISTER IN THE
CROATIAN GOVERNMENT, ZIVKO JUZBASIC, AND VLADIMIR
DEGAN, MET MARCH 16 WITH EC OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS
HOW TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN NATIONALITIES IN
A POST-WAR CROATIA. AMONG OTHER ISSUES THE
PARTICIPANTS AGREED ON THE NEED TO REPEAL CERTAIN
REGULATIONS WHICH WERE ENACTED DURING THE WAR,
ALTHOUGH NOT SPECIFIED. THE REGULATIONS ARE
APPARENTLY RELATED TO THE RETURN OF SERBS WHO WERE
FORCEFULLY MOBILIZED BY THE JNA. SOME OF THESE
SERBS WERE INCLUDED IN THE PRISONER EXCHANGES THAT
HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE AND THESE PERSONS INTEND TO
GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES IN CROATIA.

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PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00409 03 OF 03 171525Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00 C-01 DODE-00
ITCE-00 CISA-02 DS-00 EB-01 EXME-00 EXIM-06 E-01
FRB-01 HA-09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 ITC-01
JUSE-00 LAB-04 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
OPIC-08 PA-02 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 SCT-03
SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SR-01 SSO-00 SS-01 STR-20
TRSE-00 T-01 /108W
------------------1B93A3 171525Z /38
O 171523Z MAR 92
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0608
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE
USIA WASHDC 1308
USDOC WASHDC
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
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00409 03 OF 03 171525Z
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
USMISSION USNATO 1555
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0774
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0242

UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 00409

SIPDIS

BRUSSELS FOR USEC; VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PINR ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS ECON ETRD PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS
SUBJECT: ZAGREB UPDATE: MARCH 17, 1992

UNPROFOR ARRIVES IN SLAVONIA

5. ACCORDING TO THE MARCH 17 ZAGREB PRESS, THE
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00409 03 OF 03 171525Z
FIRST CONTINGENT OF UN TROUPS DESTINED FOR THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORY OF SLAVONIA HAVE BEGUN
ARRIVING. THE PRESS ACCOUNTS INDICATE THAT 38
RUSSIAN OFFICERS ARRIVED MARCH 16 IN DALJ IN
EASTERN SLAVONIA. THEY HAVE BEGUN TO EXAMINE
POSSIBILITIES FOR FUTURE UN FORCES BASES.

CARRINGTON AND VANCE TO SLOVENIA?

6. THE ZAGREB DAILY "VECERNJI LIST" OF MARCH 17
QUOTES THE SLOVENIAN PRESIDENT MILAN KUCAN AS
HAVING TOLD A SLOVENIAN ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE THAT
THE EC MEDIATOR, LORD CARRINGTON, AND THE UN ENVOY
CYRUS VANCE MAY VISIT SLOVENIA THIS WEEK.
ACCORDING TO THE PRESS REPORTS, KUCAN IMPLIED THAT
VANCE AND CARRINGTON WOULD HOLD TALKS WITH
SLOVENIAN OFFICIALS ON SUCCESSOR STATE ISSUES.
KUCAN HAS COME OUT AGAINST THE "RUSSIAN MODEL",
WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE RUSSIAN REPUBLIC TO BECOME
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THE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEGAL SUCCESSOR OF
THE USSR. ACCORDING TO KUCAN, ALL SIX YUGOSLAV
REPUBLICS HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS TO SUCCESSION.
(CONSULAR STAFF MEMBER WILL VISIT LJUBLJANA ON
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, AND WILL ATTEMPT TO CONFIRM IF
VANCE AND CARRINGTON WILL VISIT LJUBLJANA).

RECOGNITION UPDATE

7. IN ADDITION TO THE 47 STATES WHICH HAVE
ALREADY RECOGNIZED CROATIA, PERU (ON MARCH 15) AND
JAPAN (ON MARCH 17) HAVE BECOME THE LATEST TO ALSO
RECOGNIZE THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA.
ROSE

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