Cablegate: Croatia Supportive of the Expansion of Adriatic

VZCZCXRO0650
PP RUEHPOD
DE RUEHVB #0674 2681345
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241345Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8640
INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0016
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA PRIORITY
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO PRIORITY 0296
RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE PRIORITY 2605
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 0835
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3467

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000674

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR NATO PREL MK HR AL SR MW BK
SUBJECT: CROATIA SUPPORTIVE OF THE EXPANSION OF ADRIATIC
CHARTER

REF: A. STATE 100723 B. ZAGREB 000620

1. (SBU) PolOff on September 23 discussed ref A points on the
expansion of the Adriatic Charter with Marina Rozic, Head of
the NATO Department at the Croatian Foreign Ministry. Rozic
said that Croatia wanted to continue with the Adriatic
Charter with Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as
full participants as well as with an open door policy towards
Serbia. The Adriatic Charter was a "great" mechanism that
had delivered good results. Rozic stated that the Charter
also provided an opportunity for Croatia to play a leadership
role in the region, which it could not do with some other
regional issues. For all these reasons the GoC was excited
about the future of the Adriatic Charter. Rozic noted that
the GoC had already begun cooperation with their Montenegrin
counterparts on issues related to Adriatic Charter and NATO
both in the MFA and MOD (ref B). She said that they had not
yet heard anything from BiH regarding the Adriatic Charter.

2. (SBU) Rozic said that an exchange of diplomatic notes
might be the most elegant way to expand the Adriatic Charter.
Nevertheless, she believed that some kind of stronger
framework could possibly be needed after an exchange of
notes. It might be necessary to clarify Macedonia's status
as a mentor in the Charter since despite having fulfilled the
requirements, Skopje had still not received an invitation to
join NATO. She hoped that Macedonia and Greece would find a
mutually acceptable compromise so Skopje could receive a NATO
invitation. Rozic also said that she would consult with the
MFA legal department to see if they thought something other
than an exchange of diplomatic notes would be required.
Regarding the time frame, Rozic agreed that updating the
Charter and having a meeting of the expanded Adriatic Charter
countries should be done before the end of 2008. Rozic said
that the information from the discussion would be passed to
Croatian FM Gordan Jandrokovic in advance of the scheduled A3
meeting in New York.
Bradtke

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