Cablegate: Zagreb Daily Report - February 4, 2010

VZCZCXRO6204
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0081 0351322
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041322Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9879
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000081

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - February 4, 2010

1. (U) Kosor Meets Merkel in Berlin: Croatian Prime Minister
Jadranka Kosor met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on February
3, in Berlin. Speaking at a press conference, Merkel thanked Kosor
for her "... brave policies amidst an economic crisis." Merkel added
that she was pleased that Croatia was carrying out reforms for its
own sake, such as fighting corruption and bureaucracy. Merkel
refused to speculate about a date for Croatian accession to the EU,
but she expressed her optimism that it would happen "soon" because
Croatia was "on a good path." Merkel commended the "important and
brave" steps that Kosor had taken in resolving Croatia's border
dispute with Slovenia. "From our side, we will encourage Slovenia to
support those steps constructively," the German Chancellor said. PM
Kosor announced that a Croatian-German economic forum would take
place in Zagreb, probably in June of this year.

FOLEY

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