C O N F I D E N T I A L        USNATO 00545

SIPDIS
O 051013Z OCT 07

FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1253
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/ORG FOR SECURITY CO OP IN EUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000545 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2017 
TAGS: NATO PGOV PREL CR
SUBJECT: CROATIA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL PROGRAM RECEIVES GOOD 
MARKS AT SEPTEMBER 18 
 
REF: A. STATE 129867 
 
     ¶B. NATO 0500 
     ¶C. CROATIA'S ANP (E-MAILED TO EUR/RPM) 
 
Classified By: DCM W. Scott Reid for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  NATO's Senior Political Committee 
(Reinforced) (SPC/R) met with a Croatian delegation on 
September 18 to review their latest Annual National Program 
(ANP) for this year's abbreviated Membership Action Plan 
(MAP) cycle before the April 2008 summit in Bucharest. 
Allies were generally pleased with the progress made over the 
previous MAP cycle.  Croatia received specific commendation 
for its Communications Management Strategy and continued 
contributions to NATO-led military operations.  Allies urged 
Croatia to continue the fight against corruption and reform 
of the judicial system.  Finally, some Allies raised 
questions regarding Croatia's military transformation process 
and associated challenges.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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CROATIA:  TRANSFORMATIONS IN ANTICIPATION OF BUCHAREST 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Pjer Simunovic, Croatia's National Coordinator for 
NATO and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented 
Croatia's ANP to NATO Allies on September 18, 2007. 
Simunovic stressed Croatia's awareness of the short time 
remaining before Bucharest and its commitment to further 
preparation to meet the standards required for NATO 
accession.  Simunovic briefed on Croatia's participation in 
ISAF, reminding Allies that Croatia's troop commitment is 
planned to increase from 200 to 300 by 2008.  Simunovic 
reiterated Croatia's commitment to democratic reforms, noting 
that in the nine months from June 2006 through March 2007, 
the backlog of court cases in Croatia dropped by over 16% and 
unresolved cases within the land registry declined by almost 
62%. Results from the National Anti-Corruption Program are 
being seen and include participation from fifteen government 
bodies including an independent National Council made up of 
individuals from within and outside the government monitoring 
their work.  Continued democratic reforms, engagement in 
international security operations, security reform and 
classified information regulation elaboration were 
highlighted as being critical to Croatia's continued growth 
and democratization. 
 
¶3.  (C) Assistant Minister of Defence Igor Pokaz discussed 
the transformation of Croatia's military.  He emphasized the 
modernization of Croatia's military into a smaller, more 
mobile force (Army, Navy, and Air Force) through continued 
downsizing of its armed forces and modernization of equipment 
and training procedures.  The transformation will be a 
gradual, phased-approach with the first phase focused on 
achieving force readiness for NATO/PfP-led operations.  The 
reorganization of the command structure should be complete by 
the end of 2009. 
 
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ALLIES VOICE APPRECIATION AND CONCERNS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) USNATO POLAD thanked Croatia for its participation, 
congratulated Zagreb for its troops' performance in ISAF, and 
inquired as to how it planned to raise in-theater forces to 
300 in 2008.  He emphasized that while Croatia had made 
significant strides toward NATO membership, time was short 
with much to do before April's Bucharest Summit.  He pointed 
to the need for a continued public information campaign in 
the run-up to elections, further progress on property 
restitution or associated tenancy equivalents, support for 
refugee return, and easing inter-ethnic tensions.  Finally, 
the POLAD noted disappointment over the delays in Croatia's 
elaboration of its MiG replacement strategy and asked for 
clarification of the overall plan. 
 
¶5.  (C) A number of Allies seconded U.S. points on the 
importance of a continued public information campaign, as 
well as Zagreb's pressing through judicial and other reforms 
over the shortened MAP period.  All voiced appreciation for 
Croatia's engagement in international security operations, 
such as in ISAF.  They cited concerns over the military's 
ability to continue transformation into a professional 
volunteer force at its current pace.  Several Allies noted 
the likely challenges of recruitment and retention in the 
context of a rapidly growing Croatian economy. 
 
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ABBREVIATED RESPONSE 
-------------------- 
 
¶6. (C)  Simunovic promised to "keep his eye on the ball" of 
the communications strategy in the run-up to elections and 
commented that Croatia was committed to former tenancy 
owner's rights and hoped to have all cases resolved be 2009. 
Due to time constraints and the length of Simunovic and 
Pokaz's initial presentations, he promised to provide written 
responses to other Allied questions. 
NULAND