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 02 ZAGREB 000523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2008 
TAGS: PREL HR AL MK HR AL MK IZ IZPREL NATO NATO
SUBJECT: "ADRIATIC 3" FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING, DUBROVNIK, 
MARCH 7:  SUPPORTIVE STATEMENT ON IRAQ 
 
REF: A. NARDI/ROSSIN EMAIL 3/5 
     ¶B. ROSSIN/NARDI TELCON 3/7 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: (U) CLASSIFIED BY AMB. LAWRENCE ROSSIN, 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: THE ALBANIAN, CROATIAN AND MACEDONIAN FOREIGN 
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MINISTERS MET BRIEFLY IN DUBROVNIK MARCH 7 TO CONFIRM THE 
"ADRIATIC CHARTER" DRAFT TEXT (ALREADY WITH DEPARTMENT), 
ISSUE A DECLARATION AND GIVE THE INITIATIVE HIGHER PUBLIC 
PROFILE.  AMBASSADOR ROSSIN ATTENDED FOR THE  USG AT FM 
PICULA'S INVITATION AND PARTICIPATED IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE 
AFTERWARD.  TEXT OF MINISTERS' DECLARATION, WITH REASONABLY 
FIRM IRAQ LANGUAGE, AT PARA 9 (FAXED TO EUR/SCE).  WE CREDIT 
ALBANIAN FM META FOR ENSURING THE IRAQ LANGUAGE WAS INCLUDED 
IN THE FINAL TEXT.  ALTHOUGH THE CROATIANS POSE LESS 
RESISTANCE THAN AT PREVIOUS A3 MEETINGS, AMBASSADOR OVERHEARD 
THE CROATIAN LEAD OFFICIALS TRYING TO MINIMIZE IT. 
 
¶2.  (C)  IN THE CONFERENCE AND AT THE PRESS EVENT, ALL THREE 
MINISTERS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF, AND THEIR GRATITUDE 
FOR, USG "PARTNERSHIP" IN ADVANCING THEIR NATO ASPIRATIONS, 
AND UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ADRIATIC CHARTER AS 
PROOF POSITIVE OF OUR COMMITMENT.  ALL LOOKED FORWARD TO 
SIGNING WITH SECRETARY POWELL IN WASHINGTON. PER REF A, 
AMBASSADOR TOLD THE MINISTERS THAT A SIGNING CEREMONY IN 
MARCH WAS UNLIKELY AND NOTED THAT THE CHARTER TEXT WAS UNDER 
REVIEW IN WASHINGTON, WITH SOME WORDING CHANGES POSSIBLE 
SOON.  THE MINISTERS UNDERSTOOD THAT MARCH WAS HARD TO 
PROGRAM BUT URGED THAT SIGNING NOT BE ALLOWED TO SLIP TOO 
LONG.  PER REF B, DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED CHANGES IN CHARTER 
WORDING SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE THREE WASHINGTON 
AMBASSADORS FOR A3 CONSIDERATION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (C) THE FOREIGN MINISTERS A3 MEETING MARCH 7 IN DUBROVNIK 
LASTED 45 MINUTES, WITH AMBASSADOR ROSSIN INVITED TO JOIN IN 
ALL BUT THE FIRST TEN MINUTES.  DISCUSSION DURING THE 
AMBASSADOR'S PRESENCE WAS RATHER PERFUNCTORY (THE DECLARATION 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  00523  01 OF 02  111302Z 
AND DRAFT CHARTER HAVING BEEN COMPLETED BEFOREHAND) WITH THE 
EXCEPTION OF MINOR TENSION WHEN ALBANIAN FM META COMPLAINED 
TO CROATIAN FM PICULA ABOUT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON ALBANIANS 
COMING TO CROATIA.  PICULA DWELT ON CROATIA'S NATO AND EU 
ASPIRATIONS AND PROGRESS AND STRESSED ITS INTEREST IN 
REGIONAL COOPERATION.  MACEDONIAN FM MITREVA EMPHASIZED 
PRACTICAL COOPERATION, MENTIONED IN THE ADRIATIC CHARTER, ON 
ISSUES SUCH AS BORDER SECURITY, TRAFFICKING AND ECONOMIC 
COOPERATION.  SHE TOUTED THE MAY BORDER CONFERENCE IN OHRID 
(SKOPJE 313). 
 
¶4. (C) META SIMILARLY STRESSED ALBANIA'S INTEREST IN REGIONAL 
COOPERATION BUT ALSO NOTED THE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT 
ASSISTANCE SO THESE COUNTRIES COULD ATTAIN NATO AND EU 
STANDARDS IN A REASONABLE TIME.  META EMPHASIZED AT LENGTH 
ALBANIAN SOLIDARITY WITH THE U.S. ON IRAQ, COMPARING SADDAM'S 
REGIME WITH THE SOCIALIST ISOLATION HIS COUNTRY SUFFERED FOR 
50 YEARS.  ALL THREE MINISTERS WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO 
UNDERSCORE THEIR APPRECIATION FOR USG SUPPORT, NOT ONLY ON 
THE ADRIATIC CHARTER, THE OPEN DOOR AND THEIR NATO 
CANDIDACIES, BUT ALSO ON THE FULL RANGE OF THEIR ASPIRATIONS 
AND CHALLENGES. 
 
¶5. (C) AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZED IN HIS TURN U.S. COMMITMENT TO 
THE OPEN DOOR AND TO ASSIST THE THREE COUNTRIES IN MAKING 
THEIR NATO ASPIRATIONS REAL THROUGH THEIR MAP PROGRAMS. 
WHILE EACH COUNTRY FACED DIFFERENT DEFENSE REFORMS, 
INTEROPERABILITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY CHALLENGES TO QUALIFY FOR 
INVITATIONS, NATO WAS ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND THEREFORE 
WE APPLAUDED THEIR INITIATIVE IN TEAMING TOGETHER THROUGH 
THIS ADRIATIC PROCESS, NOT JUST WITH HORTATORY LANGUAGE BUT 
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WITH CONCRETE PLANS.  AMBASSADOR TOLD THE MINISTERS THAT THE 
DRAFT CHARTER TEXT WAS BEING REVIEWED IN WASHINGTON AND WE 
APPLAUDED ITS OVERALL TONE AND PROVISIONS; WE EXPECTED TO 
PROPOSE SOME MINOR WORDING CHANGES IN DUE COURSE.  ALTHOUGH 
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM A WASHINGTON SIGNING DATE YET AND 
MARCH LOOKED UNLIKELY, WE WOULD BE IN TOUCH SOON AND REMAINED 
COMMITTED TO AN EARLY SIGNING CEREMONY. 
 
¶6. (C) FINALLY, WHILE NOTING THAT THE USG WOULD WELCOME THE 
ADRIATIC INITIATIVE AND DUBROVNIK DECLARATION AS A WHOLE, WE 
ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED THE DECLARATION'S REITERATION OF 
IRAQ'S OBLIGATION TO COMPLY WITH UNSCR 1441 "OR FACE THE 
CONSEQUENCES."  SUCH SOLIDARITY WAS ESSENTIAL TO MAXIMIZE 
PRESSURE ON SADDAM TO COMPLY AND AVOID THE NEED FOR USE OF 
FORCE TO DISARM IRAQ. 
 
¶7. (C) THE MINISTERS UNDERSTOOD THE UNCERTAINTY IN SCHEDULING 
THE WASHINGTON SIGNING CEREMONY BUT URGED THAT IT NOT BE 
DELAYED TOO LONG.  MACEDONIAN FM MITREVA WAS STRONGEST ON 
THIS POINT; SHE INDICATED SHE HAD HEARD THAT DELAY UNTIL MAY 
WAS BEING CONSIDERED AND SAID THAT WOULD DISSIPATE THE 
PROGRESS MADE BY THE THREE.  AMBASSADOR ASSURED HER WE WOULD 
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SCHEDULE THE SIGNING CEREMONY AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE AND DISCOUNTED WHAT SHE HAD HEARD. 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2144 
 
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ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00  PERC-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NEA-00   DCP-01   NRRC-00 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00 
      P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    IRM-00   SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00 
      USIE-00  R-00     EPAE-00  SSD-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-01   G-00     SSR-00   NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /006W 
                  ------------------4264FC  111303Z /38 
R 111250Z MAR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9652 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 000523 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2008 
TAGS: PREL HR AL MK HR AL MK IZ IZPREL NATO NATO
SUBJECT: "ADRIATIC 3" FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING, DUBROVNIK, 
MARCH 7:  SUPPORTIVE STATEMENT ON IRAQ 
 
¶8. (C) IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, EACH OF THE MINISTERS AND THE 
AMBASSADOR ECHOED THEMES FROM THE MINISTERIAL; ALL THE 
MINISTERS THANKED THE USG PUBLICLY FOR ITS "PARTNERSHIP" IN 
THE A3 ENTERPRISE.  AS IN PRIVATE, FM META WAS STRONGEST ON 
IRAQ.  IN TYPICAL CROATIAN FASHION, ONLY ONE JOURNALIST ASKED 
A QUESTION, WHICH PICULA HANDLED WELL.  IN COMMENTS AFTERWARD 
TO CROATIAN JOURNALISTS, PICULA SPUN THE DECLARATION TO 
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ASSURE THE HOME AUDIENCE THAT WHILE SADDAM HAD TO COMPLY, THE 
GOC REMAINED FOCUSED ON A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE IRAQ 
CRISIS.  (TYPICALLY, PICULA ENSURED THAT THE GOC WAS 
FOLLOWING RATHER THAN LEADING PUBLIC OPINION ON IRAQ.) 
 
¶9. (U) TEXT OF DECLARATION: 
 
"DECLARATION OF THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA, THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AND THE REPUBLIC 
OF MACEDONIA" 
 
DUBROVNIK, MARCH 7, 2004 
 
WE, THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF 
ALBANIA, THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, AND THE REPUBLIC OF 
MACEDONIA MET TODAY IN DUBROVNIK TO REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT 
TO ACHIEVE FULL MEMBERSHIP IN NATO.  IN THAT REGARD, WE LOOK 
FORWARD TO THE SIGNING OF THE CHARTER OF PARTNERSHIP AMONG 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OUR THREE COUNTRIES. 
 
WE SHARE A COMMON VISION OF A FULLY INTEGRATED EUROPE.  WE 
AFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW, RESPECT OF HUMAN 
AND MINORITY RIGHTS AND THE FREE MARKET.  WE ALSO UNDERSCORE 
OUR FULL COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES CONTAINED IN THE 
CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND RESPECTIVE OSCE DOCUMENTS. 
 
WE WARMLY WELCOME THE DECISION OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL 
IN PRAGUE IN NOVEMBER 2002 TO INVITE SEVEN EUROPEAN 
DEMOCRACIES, OUR VILNIUS GROUP PARTNERS, TO BEG ACCESSION 
TALKS WITH NATO.  WE ALSO WELCOME NATO,S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT 
THESE INVITEES WILL NOT BE THE LAST AND THAT IT WILL CONTINUE 
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WITH &OPEN DOOR8 POLICY IN ORDER TO FULLY INTEGRATE 
ALBANIA, CROATIA AND MACEDONIA INTO THE EUROPEAN AND 
TRANSATLANTIC POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SECURITY AND DEFENSE 
INSTITUTIONS. 
 
WE DECLARE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF MAP 
AND OUR RESPECTIVE ANP,S IN ORDER TO BETTER PREPARE 
OURSELVES FOR FULL NATO MEMBERSHIP.  FURTHERMORE, WE SHALL 
INTENSIFY OUR ACTIVITIES FOR INCREASING OUR CAPABILITIES TO 
MEET NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES AND FOR MODERNIZING OUR ARMED 
FORCES. 
 
WE RECONFIRM OUR COUNTRIES, COMMITMENT TO TAKE ACTIVE PART 
IN THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM AND OUR 
SUPPORT OF ALL SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AND OTHER 
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS REFERRING TO THE 
DESTRUCTION, CONTROL AND NON-PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION.  WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CALL UPON IRAQ TO 
COMPLY FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF UN 
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1441, OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. 
 
FOLLOWING THE COMMITMENTS EXPRESSED BY OUR PRESIDENTS AT THE 
TIRANA SUMMIT ON FEBRUARY 12, WE AGREE TO INTENSIFY OUR 
REGIONAL CO-OPERATION IN ORDER TO ENHANCE PEACE AND STABILITY 
IN EUROPE AND WILL USE ALREADY EXISTING BILATERAL AND 
MULTILATERAL MECHANISMS. WE REAFFIRM OUR DETERMINATION TO 
FURTHER ENHANCE BILATERAL, REGIONAL AND MULTILATERAL 
RELATIONS BETWEEN OURSELVES AND BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, SERBIA 
AND MONTENEGRO AND WITH OTHER NEIGHBORS. 
 
END TEXT. 
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ROSSIN 
 
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