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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 003839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
WARSAW ALSO FOR A/S SHATTUCK 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  03839  01 OF 03  022002Z 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356: 9/30/00 
TAGS: 
SUBJECT:  DEPUTY PM TELLS A/S SHATTUCK GOC PLANS TO 
          REPATRIATE ABDIC MUSLIMS, WILL CUT OFF 
          ASSISTANCE TO BOSNIAN REFUGEES 
 
 
¶1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
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SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶2.  DEPUTY PM KOSTOVIC TOLD VISITING DRL A/S SHATTUCK THAT 
THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO REPATRIATE THE 
20,000 ABDIC REBEL MUSLIMS IN THE KUPLJENSKO CAMP NEAR 
VOJNIC AFTER 10-15 DAYS IF NO AGREEMENT IS REACHED IN THE 
INTERIM FOR THEIR RETURN.  CROATIA, BOSNIA, AND TURKEY 
WOULD PROVIDE AN INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE TO PROVIDE FOR 
THEIR SAFETY.  KOSTOVIC REQUESTED USG ASSISTANCE TO 
PRESSURE THE GOBH TO PROVIDE GUARANTEES FOR THEIR SAFE 
RETURN.  HE CLAIMED THAT THE REVOCATION OF REFUGEE STATUS 
DECREE FOR BOSNIANS FROM THE FEDERATION AND THE NEWLY 
LIBERATED TERRITORIES WOULD NOT FORCIBLY REPATRIATE THEM, 
BUT "ONLY" CUT OFF THEIR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.  HOWEVER, 
HE ADDED THAT WHILE ETHNIC CROAT DUAL NATIONALS WOULD BE 
LEGALLY ALLOWED TO STAY, OTHERS (MUSLIMS FROM B-H) WOULD 
NOT BE PERMITTED TO REMAIN.  KOSTOVIC AGREED TO WORK WITH 
GRANIC TO SET UP A NEW PROCEDURE IN THE BELGRADE MISSION 
OF THE GOC FOR SERBS TO APPLY TO RETURN.  END SUMMARY. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ZAGREB  03839  01 OF 03  022002Z 
 
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ABDIC REFUGEES 
-------------- 
 
¶3.  DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DR. IVICA KOSTOVIC, WHO IS 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REINTEGRATED TERRITORIES, TOLD DRL A/S 
JOHN SHATTUCK ON SEPTEMBER 30 THAT, AT A NATIONAL SECURITY 
COUNCIL MEETING EARLIER THAT MORNING, THE GOC HAD MADE THE 
POLITICAL DECISION TO REPATRIATE THE 20,000 ABDIC MUSLIMS 
AT THE KUPLJENSKO CAMP WITHIN THE NEXT 10-15 DAYS.  (NOTE: 
THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN REFUGEE STATUS BY THE GOC 
BECAUSE IT BELIEVES THAT VELIKA KLADUSA IS A SAFE PLACE TO 
RETURN.  END NOTE.)  WINTERIZING THE CAMP WAS NOT AN 
OPTION THE GOC WOULD CONSIDER.  THE GOC HAD AGREED TO A 
TRIPARTITE TURKISH, BOSNIAN, AND CROATIAN POLICE FORCE AND 
A TURKISH OMBUDSMAN TO MONITOR THE SECURITY OF THE TOWN. 
THE GOC ALREADY HAD THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THE 
ARMED MEN IN THE CAMP AND WOULD SOON DO SO.  KOSTOVIC 
CLAIMED THAT ALL BUT 400-1200 OF THE REFUGEES WOULD 
RETURN IF THE GOBH WERE TO ISSUE AN AMNESTY AND PROVIDE 
FOR THEIR RETURN.  (COMMENT:  THIS VIEW WAS SHARED BY 
SOME, BUT NOT ALL, UNHCR OFFICIALS AT KUPLJENSKO, DURING 
A/S SHATTUCK'S VISIT THERE SEPTEMBER 29.  THE REFUGEES 
THEMSELVES, HOWEVER, CONTENDED AN AMNESTY ALONE WOULD BE 
INSUFFICIENT, UNTIL THE WAR IN BOSNIA WAS OVER.) 
 
¶4.  A/S SHATTUCK EMPHASIZED THAT THIS DECISION POSED 
SERIOUS CONCERNS FOR THE USG AND COULD DEVELOP INTO AN 
EXPLOSIVE SITUATION.  HE URGED THE GOC TO RECONSIDER ANY 
FORCED REPATRIATION AND TO WORK WITH THE GOBH TO PROVIDE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ZAGREB  03839  01 OF 03  022002Z 
GUARANTEES FOR THEIR RETURN.  KOSTOVIC RESPONDED THAT 
CROATIA HAD A STRATEGIC INTEREST IN ENSURING THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A NON-FUNDAMENTALIST, PEACEFUL ENTITY AT 
ITS BORDER.  THE GOC HAD ACCEPTED REQUESTS FROM SOME OF 
THE SOLDIERS TO JOIN THE HVO AS A WAY TO PROMOTE THEIR 
REINTEGRATION. 
 
¶5.  KOSTOVIC TOOK THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S POINT AND WAS 
CONCERNED ABOUT AVOIDING A HUMAN CATASTROPHE.  "I WAS 
AGAINST USING FORCE.  OTHER MINISTERS FELT DIFFERENTLY." 
KOSTOVIC PROMISED TO RAISE THE ISSUE WITH PRESIDENT 
TUDJMAN AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MISETIC AND WARN THEM OF 
ITS POTENTIAL DANGERS.  "WE HAVEN'T HAD GOOD COOPERATION 
WITH THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT" ON THIS ISSUE.  HE REQUESTED 
USG ASSISTANCE TO PRESSURE THE GOBH TO SOON PROVIDE NEW, 
WRITTEN GUARANTEES FOR THE SAFE RE 
TURN OF THESE PEOPLE. 
 
--------------------------- 
REVOCATION OF STATUS DECREE 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6.  THE GOC'S SEPTEMBER 22 DIRECTIVE TO REVOKE REFUGEE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2225 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  03839  02 OF 03  022002Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  SMEC-00  OASY-00  ANHR-01 
      SRPP-00  EB-01    OIGO-01  FBIE-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-02    L-01     ADS-00   M-00     NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      PA-01    PM-00    PRS-01   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00 
      STR-01   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-10   PRME-01 
      PRMC-01  DRL-09   G-00       /036W 
                  ------------------F28562  022002Z /38 
O 022002Z OCT 95 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7458 
INFO AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 
USLO SKOPJE 
DIA WASHDC 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5PMA/J21// 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
USMISSION GENEVA 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP// 
NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 003839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
WARSAW ALSO FOR A/S SHATTUCK 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  03839  02 OF 03  022002Z 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356: 9/30/00 
TAGS: 
SUBJECT:  DEPUTY PM TELLS A/S SHATTUCK GOC PLANS TO 
          REPATRIATE ABDIC MUSLIMS, WILL CUT OFF 
          ASSISTANCE TO BOSNIAN REFUGEES 
 
STATUS FOR PEOPLE FROM THE FEDERATION AND NEWLY LIBERATED 
TERRITORIES WILL AFFECT ONLY THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF 
THESE REFUGEES, KOSTOVIC SAID.  NO ONE WOULD BE FORCIBLY 
REPATRIATED, HE INSISTED.  THE DIRECTIVE WOULD STOP ALL 
REFUGEE SUPPORT PAYMENTS (DM 7/DAY/PERSON FOR 
ACCOMMODATION), AND PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO 
RETURN HOME.  THE GOC WOULD NOT STOP UNHCR AND OTHER 
AGENCIES FROM PROVIDING CONTINUING SUPPORT.  HE SAID 
"MOST" MOST OF THE BOSNIAN REFUGEES IN CROATIA WERE ETHNIC 
CROATS, AND HAD EVERY RIGHT TO MOVE ACROSS THE BORDER 
FREELY.  (COMMENT:  IN FACT, ONLY ABOUT 55 PERCENT ARE.) 
THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT FORCE THEM TO MOVE ANYWHERE.  AS 
CITIZENS, THIS GROUP WOULD LOSE NEITHER ITS HEALTH 
INSURANCE NOR ITS EDUCATION BENEFITS.  HOWEVER, OF THE 
40,000 MUSLIM REFUGEES IN CROATIA, THOSE FROM FEDERATION 
AND LIBERATED TERRITORIES WOULD INDEED LOSE THEIR RIGHT TO 
STAY. 
 
¶7.  OPERATION MAESTRAL (LIBERATION OF WESTERN BOSNIA) WAS 
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE "LIVING ROOM" FOR MUSLIMS AND SPACE 
FOR THE FEDERATION, KOSTOVIC SAID.  THE GOC HAD CONCLUDED 
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE GOBH FOR THE RETURN OF PEOPLE, AND 
THE GOBH DID NOT OBJECT TO ACCEPTING ITS PEOPLE.  GERMANY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ZAGREB  03839  02 OF 03  022002Z 
WAS RETURNING REFUGEES TO CROATIA UNDER A SIMILAR 
BILATERAL AGREEMENT.  WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, THE 
GOVERNMENT WOULD RECONSIDER THE LIST OF PLACES MARKED SAFE 
FOR RETURN AND WOULD CARRY OUT THE DIRECTIVE ON A "STEP- 
BY-STEP" BASIS.  KOSTOVIC ASSERTED THAT CROATIA UNDERSTOOD 
ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW AND WOULD ADHERE 
TO THEM.  HE OPINED THAT JAJCE AND GLAMOC WERE PROBABLY 
SAFE ENOUGH TO RETURN TO UNDER THIS DECREE.  HOWEVER, 
GRAHOVO WAS DESTROYED AND HAD NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT 
RETURNING REFUGEES. 
 
¶8.  A/S SHATTUCK UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING 
OPEN THE OPTION OF THIRD COUNTRY RESETTLEMENT, AND OF 
BUILDING MORE FACILITIES WITH INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO HOUSE REFUGEES RATHER THAN RETURN PEOPLE TO FRONT-LINE 
AREAS.  KOSTOVIC ANSWERED THAT NO THIRD COUNTRY HAD 
OFFERED TO ACCEPT PERMANENT REFUGEES FROM CROATIA OR 
SERBIA, ONLY BOSNIA.  BOTH SWEDEN AND DENMARK WERE 
RETURNING CROAT REFUGEES, AND THE SHEER NUMBERS OF THOSE 
RETURNING FROM GERMANY HAD PLACED SEVERE FINANCIAL AND 
OTHER DIFFICULTIES ON CROATIA.  JAPAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES 
HAD OFFERED TO BUILD MORE SHELTERS, BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAD 
DECIDED TO INTEGRATE DPS AND REFUGEES INTO SOCIETY AS MUCH 
AS POSSIBLE AND WOULD BUILD NO MORE BARRACKS OR TENT 
CITIES.  "WE DON'T NEED SHELTERS, WE NEED CASH," KOSTOVIC 
DECLARED.  HE CLAIMED THAT CROATIA HAD RECEIVED NO 
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL HELP FOR THIS PURPOSE SINCE 1992. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
RIGHT OF RETURN AND CITIZENSHIP ISSUES 
-------------------------------------- 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ZAGREB  03839  02 OF 03  022002Z 
 
¶9.  SHATTUCK INSISTED THAT CROATIA MUST ALLOW FOR THE 
RETURN OF ITS SERBIAN RESIDENTS.  INTERNATIONAL 
PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE COMMITMENT OF CROATIA TO A MULTI- 
ETHNIC SOCIETY WOULD TURN ON THE RETURN OF CROATIAN SERBS. 
SUCH A RETURN HAD TWO IMPEDIMENTS: THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERE 
OF HOSTILITY IN THE KRAJINA AND THE CONFISCATION OF SERB 
PROPERTY WITHOUT COMPENSATION. 
 
¶10.  KOSTOVIC ACKNOWLEDGED THESE IMPEDIMENTS, BUT SAID THE 
SECOND COULD NOT BE CHANGED.  UNTIL THE PARLIAMENT WAS 
ELECTED AT THE END OF THE MONTH, IT WAS LEGALLY IMPOSSIBLE 
TO CHANGE THE PROPERTY LAW.  HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO WISH 
AMONG THE SERBS TO RETURN.  MANY HAD LEFT WESTERN SLAVONIA 
LONG AFTER THE MILITARY ACTION HAD ENDED.  SINCE THEN, "I 
SIGNED THE RETURN ORDER FOR 120 WEST SLAVONIAN SERBS, AND 
NONE ARRIVED.  THIS WAS JUST A TEST CASE."  ODPR HAD 
APPROVED DOCUMENTATION FOR 600 SERBS TO RETURN AND NONE 
HAD DONE SO EITHER.  MAYBE SERBS DID NOT WANT TO RETURN 
BECAUSE THE GOC AMNESTY TERMINATED ON MAY 10, 1995, HE 
SUGGESTED.  MEN WHO RETURNED FROM THE KRAJINA WERE SUBJECT 
TO ARREST FOR ARMED REBELLION AND PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES. 
ACCORDING TO GOC LAW, MEMBERSHIP IN THE "ARSK" AFTER THE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NNNNPTQ2226 
 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2226 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  03839  03 OF 03  022003Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  SMEC-00  OASY-00  ANHR-01 
      SRPP-00  EB-01    OIGO-01  FBIE-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-02    L-01     ADS-00   M-00     NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01 
      PA-01    PM-00    PRS-01   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00 
      STR-01   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-10   PRME-01 
      PRMC-01  DRL-09   G-00       /036W 
                  ------------------F2856A  022003Z /38 
O 022002Z OCT 95 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7459 
INFO AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 
USLO SKOPJE 
DIA WASHDC 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5PMA/J21// 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
USMISSION GENEVA 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP// 
NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 003839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
WARSAW ALSO FOR A/S SHATTUCK 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  03839  03 OF 03  022003Z 
USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356: 9/30/00 
TAGS: 
SUBJECT:  DEPUTY PM TELLS A/S SHATTUCK GOC PLANS TO 
          REPATRIATE ABDIC MUSLIMS, WILL CUT OFF 
          ASSISTANCE TO BOSNIAN REFUGEES 
 
AMNESTY WAS ENOUGH TO BE ARRESTED.  SHATTUCK EMPHASIZED 
THE IMPORTANCE OF REVISITING THESE LAWS, AND EXTENDING THE 
AMNESTY. 
 
¶11.  KOSTOVIC EXPLAINED THAT THE SERBS WHO FLED WERE A 
POPULATION OF POTENTIAL CROATIAN CITIZENS, BUT WERE NOT 
LEGAL CITIZENS UNTIL THEY APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED 
CITIZENSHIP PAPERS, AS HAD ALL OTHER CROATIANS SINCE 1991. 
HE ADMITTED THAT THE CURRENT CATCH-22 APPLICATION PROCESS 
IN BELGRADE WAS INADEQUATE AND PRECLUDED A MASS RETURN. 
ANOTHER PROCEDURE NEEDED TO BE IMPLEMENTED.  HOWEVER, 
SERBIA WOULD NOT ALLOW THESE PEOPLE OUT, DESPITE ITS VOCAL 
CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY.  KOSTOVIC SAID HE WOULD ASK FOR 
ANOTHER COORDINATION MEETING WITH GRANIC TO SET UP A 
PROCEDURE IN THE BELGRADE GOC OFFICE FOR SERBS TO APPLY TO 
RETURN. 
 
¶12.  KOSTOVIC SAID HE COOPERATED WELL WITH THE ICRC AND 
OTHER AGENCIES ON THE ISSUE OF DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND 
VIOLENCE COMMITTED AGAINST SERBS.  "WE MUST PROSECUTE THE 
PERPETRATORS OF THESE CRIMES," HE INSISTED.  HE RECOGNIZED 
THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOC CONDEMNED THESE ACTIONS, IT NEEDED 
TO DO MORE IN THE FIELD TO REPUDIATE ANY INSINUATION THAT 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ZAGREB  03839  03 OF 03  022003Z 
IT CONDONED THEM. 
 
--------------- 
MISSING PERSONS 
--------------- 
 
¶13.  KOSTOVIC ASKED FOR USG HELP TO FIND A GLOBAL SOLUTION 
FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN ALL PARTIES 
CONCERNING THE MISSING AND THE DEAD.  THE JNA HAS NEVER 
PRODUCED ANY DOCUMENTS.  SUCH AN ACT WOULD HAVE ENORMOUS 
IMPACT FOR ALL SIDES, HE STATED. 
 
¶14.  THIS MESSAGE WAS NOT CLEARED BY A/S SHATTUCK BEFORE 
HIS DEPARTURE. 
 
¶15.   SARAJEVO MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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