Cablegate: Zagreb Daily Report - December 14, 2009

VZCZCXRO5396
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0727 3481414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141414Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9729
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000727

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR ECON
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - December 14, 2009

1. (U) (SBU) ICTY Trial Chamber orders temporary freeze on GoC
investigation into missing artillery documents: Croatia has halted
a portion of its investigation into missing documents after the ICTY
Trial Chamber on December 11 ordered Croatia to temporarily suspend
actions dealing with any members of the Gotovina defense team while
the Chamber examines the issue more closely. Prime Minister Kosor
on Saturday confirmed that the GoC would follow the ICTY's
instructions, but noted, "We are in a curious situation, in which
Croatia is being asked to locate certain documents on the one hand,
but on the other, the way it is going about it is suddenly
questionable." Media reaction has been mixed with some journalists
siding with the right of Croatia to conduct the search and others
siding with the defense team's argument that the documents are
irrelevant to the case. The GoC, in the meantime, is focused on
preparing its arguments for a December 16 hearing at the ICTY on
whether it has been responsive to the Chamber's September 2008 order
to search for the documents.

(U) Croatian position at Copenhagen tracks with EU: The GoC
delegation to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference briefed the
Croatian Parliament (Sabor) Environment Committee on December 10 and
outlined Croatia's position. According to the State Secretary for
the Ministry of the Environment, Nikola Ruzinski, Croatia will
support the EU position on 20-30 percent CO2 reductions by 2020.
Ruzinski also said that President Mesic will travel this week to
Copenhagen to head the delegation. At the hearing, committee
chairwoman Marijana Petir also asked foreign diplomats to present
their countries' positions. Econoff outlined the U.S. positions at
Copenhagen, and described recent bilateral agreements with China and
domestic legislation related to energy conservation. The audience
included Sabor members, Croatian NGO, and the official Croatian
delegation to the Copenhagen conference.

(U) President Mesic in Moscow: On December 13 President Mesic's
office announced that he had arrived in Moscow for an official
visit. Mesic is scheduled to have meetings with Russian President
Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin on December 14.

(U) Minister Kalmeta survives no-confidence vote: The opposition
Social Democratic Party's motion of no confidence in Transport
Minister Bozidar Kalmeta fell far short of the 77 votes needed in
Parliament on December 11. After a day-long heated debate, in which
the opposition argued Kalmeta bore "political responsibility" for
alleged corruption in state-owned companies within his purview, 33
opposition members voted in favor of no-confidence, while 66
deputies from the governing coalition voted against the
no-confidence motion. Although Kalmeta survived the vote, media and
other observers pointed to a conspicuous absence in Parliament of
the HDZ's main coalition partners, the Peasants' (HSS) and Serb
Democratic (SDSS) Parties. Several leading political commentators
also argued that the HDZ's determination to defend Kalmeta is
sharply at odds with Prime Minister and HDZ President Jadranka
Kosor's, proclaimed aim of ensuring that no one can be "untouchable"
in corruption cases. Kosor herself was also absent from this session
of Parliament.

FOLEY

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