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

191146Z May 92

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PAGE 02        ZAGREB  00780  01 OF 03  191250Z
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
USMISSION USNATO
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USIA WASHDC 1527
USEC BRUSSELS
 COMSIXTHFLT//N2//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24//
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5//
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0432

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE 
 
HELSINKI FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL: OADR 
TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR
SUBJECT:  UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTOR EAST, RAMLJAK 
ANGERED BY FURTHER EXPULSIONS 
 
REF:  ZAGREB 779 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) IN A MAY 18 CONVERSATION WITH UNPROFOR 
OFFICIAL MIKAEL MAGNUSSON, MAGNUSSON SAID THAT WHILE 
CROATIAN FORCES WERE HOLDING TO AGREEMENTS IN SECTOR 
EAST, THE JNA APPEARED TO BE BENDING THE AGREED 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  00780  01 OF 03  191250Z 
TIMETABLE.  CROATIAN ARMY AUTHORITIES WERE UPSET BY 
REPORTS OF AN EXTENSION GRANTED TO THE JNA BY 
UNPROFOR TO WITHDRAW JNA HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM SECTOR 
EAST.  MEANWHILE, CROATIAN VICE PRESIDENT MILAN 
RAMLJAK COMPLAINED BITTERLY TO UN GENERAL NAMBIAR 
ABOUT THE ALLEGED EXPULSION OF 98 CIVILIANS FROM 
SECTOR EAST BY SERB FORCES AFTER UNPROFOR TOOK OVER 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REGION.  FROM THE CROATIAN 
PERSPECTIVE, THESE EVENTS CONTINUE TO PUT INTO 
QUESTION THE ABILITY OF UNPROFOR TO CARRY OUT ITS        . 
MISSION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
UNPROFOR COMMENTS ON SECTOR EAST 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) WE QUERIED UNPROFOR ZAGREB SENIOR LIAISON 
OFFICER FOR CIVILIAN AFFAIRS MIKAEL MAGNUSSON 
(PROTECT) MAY 18 ON THE STATUS OF UN PEACEKEEPING 
OPERATIONS IN SECTOR EAST (OSIJEK, VINKOVCI, VUKOVAR, 
ETC.).  IN FRANK AND ADMITTEDLY UNOFFICIAL 
COMMENTARY, MAGNUSSON TOLD US THAT OPERATIONS IN THAT 
SECTOR WERE PROCEEDING "STICKINGLY".  WHILE CROATIAN 
FORCES WERE ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIMETABLE 
FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR FORCES FROM THE REGION, THE 
JNA, EXPLAINED MAGNUSSON, WAS APPARENTLY TRYING TO 
"BEND" THE TIMETABLE.  WHILE THE REASONS FOR JNA 
RELUCTANCE TO WITHDRAW WERE NOT CLEAR, MAGNUSSON'S 
UNDERSTANDING (THOUGH HE COULD NOT CONFIRM THIS) WAS 
THAT THE JNA HAD RECEIVED UNPROFOR PERMISSION TO 
EXTEND THE DEADLINE BY WHICH HEAVY ARTILLERY WAS TO 
BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE UNPA.  THE JNA IN SECTOR EAST 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  00780  01 OF 03  191250Z 
WAS NOW REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW ALL HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM 
THAT UNPA BY 1600 ON MAY 20.  THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE 
WAS SET FOR 0800 ON MAY 18. 
 
 
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PAGE 01        ZAGREB  00780  02 OF 03  191251Z 
ACTION IO-19 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-01   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  C-01     DODE-00  CISA-02 
      EB-01    EUR-01   HA-09    H-01     INRE-00  INR-01   LAB-04 
      L-03     ADS-00   NEA-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02   PM-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       /088W 
                  ------------------343467  191303Z /38 
O 191146Z MAY 92 
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0963 
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ANKARA 
AMEMBASSY ATHENS 
AMEMBASSY BONN 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST 
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY KIEV 
AMEMBASSY LISBON 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 
AMEMBASSY MADRID 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
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PAGE 02        ZAGREB  00780  02 OF 03  191251Z 
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 
AMEMBASSY VIENNA 
USMISSION USNATO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USIA WASHDC 1528 
USEC BRUSSELS 
 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// 
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// 
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// 
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0433 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR 
TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR
SUBJECT: UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTOR EAST, RAMLJAK 
ANGERED BY FURTHER EXSPULSIONS 
 
¶3.  (C) MAGNUSSON NOTED THE CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS THAT 
HAD TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, PARTICULARLY 
AROUND OSIJEK.  UNPROFOR PATROLS WERE COVERING ALL OF 
SECTOR EAST, HE EXPLAINED, AND RANDOM PATROLS WERE 
BEING RUN IN CRISIS AREAS OUTSIDE THE UNPA.  SO FAR, 
SAID MAGNUSSON, UN PEACEKEEPERS WERE "TAKING NAMES, 
BUT NOT KICKING ASS."  THEY HAD FILED COMPLAINTS WITH 
THE JNA CONCERNING THE SLOWNESS OF ITS WITHDRAWAL. 
 
CROATIAN REACTION TO THE EXTENSION 
---------------------------------- 
 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  00780  02 OF 03  191251Z 
¶4.  (U) IMMEDIATE CROATIAN REACTION TO THE 
UNPROFOR-GRANTED EXTENSION CAME FROM THE DEPUTY 
CROATIAN COMMANDER OF THE OSIJEK OPERATIONAL ZONE 
BRANIMIR GLAVAS.  GLAVAS TOLD REPORTERS THAT CROATIAN 
FORCES WERE OPPOSED TO AGREEMENTS IN WHICH THEY WERE 
NOT CONSULTED (NOTE:  REPORTEDLY, THE CROATIAN ARMY 
WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS 
REGARDING THE EXTENSION).  GLAVAS ADDED THAT THE ARMY 
WOULD DO WHAT ITS GOVERNMENT ASKED IT TO DO BUT THAT 
IT WOULD NOT BE NAIVE.  HE CONTINUED BY SAYING THAT 
"IF BY PEACEFUL MEANS, CROATIAN TERRITORY CANNOT BE 
LIBERATED, THEN WE WILL THANK UNPROFOR AND SAY DEAR 
SIRS, NOW IT IS FOR US TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE."  GLAVAS 
CONCLUDED THAT THROUGH ACTIONS SUCH AS THE EXTENSION, 
UNPROFOR WAS LOSING ITS POLITICAL CREDIBILITY. 
 
CROATIAN ANGER OVER MORE EXPULSIONS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) CROATIAN VICE PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE 
STATE COMMISSION FOR UNPROFOR MILAN RAMLJAK ADDRESSED 
A SHARPLY WORDED LETTER TO UN COMMANDER SATISH 
NAMBIAR MAY 18 COMPLAINING OF FURTHER EXPULSIONS OF 
CIVILIANS FROM SECTOR EAST BY SERB/JNA FORCES.  THE 
TEXT OF RAMLJAK'S LETTER FOLLOWS: 
 
BEGIN TEXT. 
 
--  AFTER MY LETTER TO YOU TODAY IN WHICH I WARNED 
YOU THAT THE DELAY IN THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE JNA AND 
IN DISARMAMENT OF PARAMILITARY FORMATIONS IS 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  00780  02 OF 03  191251Z 
ENCOURAGING THE SERBIAN SIDE AND CAUSING NEW VICTIMS 
AND DAMAGE, I RECEIVED WITH CONSTERNATION THE NEWS 
THAT YESTERDAY, AT 1900H, A GROUP OF 98 TORMENTED 
REFUGEES FROM THE VILLAGTE OF MIKLUSEVCI ARRIVED IN 
VINKOVCI.  THE REFUGEES ARE OF RUTHENIAN 
NATIONALITY.  I WISH TO REMIND YOU THAT IT IS A 
 
 
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PAGE 01        ZAGREB  00780  03 OF 03  191253Z 
ACTION IO-19 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-01   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  C-01     DODE-00  CISA-02 
      EB-01    EUR-01   HA-09    H-01     INRE-00  INR-01   LAB-04 
      L-03     ADS-00   NEA-01   NSAE-00  OIC-02   PM-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       /088W 
                  ------------------34347F  191305Z /38 
O 191146Z MAY 92 
FM AMCONSUL ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0964 
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY ANKARA 
AMEMBASSY ATHENS 
AMEMBASSY BONN 
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST 
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY KIEV 
AMEMBASSY LISBON 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 
AMEMBASSY MADRID 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
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PAGE 02        ZAGREB  00780  03 OF 03  191253Z 
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 
AMEMBASSY VIENNA 
USMISSION USNATO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USIA WASHDC 1529 
USEC BRUSSELS 
 COMSIXTHFLT//N2// 
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON//N24// 
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ5// 
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 0434 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 00780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSBM; ISLAMABAD FOR POL/JPOGUE 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR 
TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR PGOV PHUM HR
SUBJECT: UNPROFOR OFFICIAL ON SECTORY EAST, RAMLJAK 
ANGERED BY FURTHER EXPULSIONS 
 
QUESTION OF A CRIME COMMITTED IN THE SECTOR WHICH IS 
UNDER YOUR CONTROL.  ACCORDING TO PARAGRAPH 12 OF 
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 752, YOU TOOK OVER 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SECTOR ON MAY 15, 1992 AND 
THEREFORE YOU ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXILE 
AND SUFFERING OF THESE UNFORTUNATE PERSONS.  THEY 
EXPECTED YOUR PROTECTION, INSTEAD THEY WERE EXPOSED 
TO THE RUDEST VIOLENCE. 
--  IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE EXILE 
WAS DONE WITH THE PROTECTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF 
UNPROFOR.  UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS IS A CASE OF FAILURE IN 
THE EXECUTION OF THE PEACE OPERATION IN SECTOR "E" 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  00780  03 OF 03  191253Z 
AND THEREFORE I REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING: 
 
--  UNPROFOR UNITS MUST URGENTLY ORGANIZE THE RETURN 
OF THESE 98 REFUGEES TO THEIR HOMES GIVING THEM FULL 
ASSISTANCE. 
 
--  TO ESTABLISH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AUTHORIZED 
COMMANDER WHO FAILED TO UNDERTAKE NECESSARY MEASURES 
IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS CRIME. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) AS WE NOTED IN REFTEL, CROATIA IS ANXIOUSLY 
WATCHING THE RESULTS OF UNPROFOR'S FIRST OPERATIONAL 
SECTOR.  AFTER THE WEEKEND SHELLING OF OSIJEK, THE 
DECISION TO EXTEND THE JNA'S TIMETABLE FOR WITHDRAWAL 
AND THE ALLEGED SERBIAN EXPULSION OF CIVILIANS FROM 
MIKLUSEVCI HAS FURTHER DEGRADED RESPECT FOR 
UNPROFOR'S CAPABILITIES IN THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT, 
ARMY AND AMONG THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.  WHILE 
CROATIAN EXPECTATIONS MAY BE TOO HIGH, THEIR 
PERCEPTIONS OF UNPROFOR FAIRNESS AND ABILITY TO DO 
THE JOB WILL BE CRITICAL TO SUCCESS IN THE REMAINING 
SECTORS DUE TO COME UNDER UN CONTROL.  END COMMENT. 
EINIK 
 
 
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