VZCZCXYZ0019
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0086/01 0371406
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061406Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8553
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR - P/DAS VOLKER, DAS DICARLO, EUR/RPM, 
EUR/SCE 
USNATO FOR AMB NULAND, UNDERWOOD, BAEZ 
NSC FOR BRADLEY 
OSD FOR NATO POLICY - DAS FATA 
JCS FOR SHIELDS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO MOPS MARR NATO HR DEFENSE REFORM
SUBJECT: NATO ENLARGEMENT: SUSTAINING CROATIA'S PROGRESS 
 
REF: A. ZAGREB 46 
     ¶B. ZAGREB 62 
     ¶C. ZAGREB 65 
     ¶D. STATE 8781 
     ¶E. USNATO 22 
     ¶F. ZAGREB 69 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Tom Selinger for reasons 1.4(b) and (d 
). 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Upon formation of PM Sanader's 
new government, the Ambassador met with President Mesic, PM 
Sanader (ref A), FM Jandrokovic (ref B), DefMin Vukelic, and 
Speaker of Parliament Bebic (ref C).  At all of these 
meetings, he discussed the GoC's strategy to address 
Croatia's key remaining issues before NATO's Bucharest 
Summit, as outlined in ref D.  The PM was already energized 
by comments made by NATO PermReps at the Jan 16 NAC session 
concluding the GoC's sixth MAP cycle (ref E), and leaders are 
now actively engaged in making sure there is no reason to 
question a Croatian invite in April.  In addition, the GoC 
has demonstrated a clear understanding at all levels that 
reforms must continue beyond the NATO invitation.  END 
SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
SUPPORT STILL CLIMBING, INFO CAMPAIGN EXPANDING 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2. (C) Croatia's State Committee on NATO, which includes the 
President and PM as well as key ministers and 
parliamentarians, met Jan 28 and approved an expanded public 
information campaign to build on already growing support for 
membership.  This will reportedly include numerous broadcast 
and print media interviews, public roundtables, university 
debates, internet pages, military "open houses," and NATO 
"Info Points" in public libraries.  PM Sanader explained to 
the Ambassador on Jan 21 that the GoC will use the Croatian 
military's participation in Afghanistan as an example of what 
it means to be a NATO member, giving a larger role to ISAF 
veterans in public outreach and sending journalists to Kabul, 
Chagcharan, and Mazar-e Sharif to interview soldiers 
currently serving there. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The President, FM, DefMin, and Speaker all shared 
the PM's enthusiasm, with the President promising a 
"demanding and comprehensive" public relations campaign at a 
gathering of NATO-member state ambassadors on Jan 29.  The FM 
pointed to his newly appointed spokesperson Mario Dragun, a 
PR professional recruited from the private sector, as a sign 
that the MFA was taking its outreach mission seriously.  The 
FM brought Neven Mikec, the former head of the ministry's 
NATO office, up to be his chief of cabinet, and promised to 
appoint a qualified replacement.  Croatian Ambassador to NATO 
Davor Bozinovic, who spearheaded efforts to bring support up 
from a historic low of 30 percent in late 2006 to the current 
figures over 50 percent, will continue to play a key role in 
public outreach, according to Jandrokovic. 
 
¶4. (U) Two recent polls, neither commissioned by the GoC, 
show a continuing upward trend in public support.  Leading 
polling agencies PULS and Promocija Plus have both released 
results in February showing more than 51 percent of Croatians 
in favor of NATO membership.  Earlier results from PULS had 
lagged behind government-sponsored polling, making this the 
first time this agency has shown support above 50 percent. 
 
COMMITTED TO RESOLVING PROPERTY RESTITUTION ISSUE 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. (C) The Ambassador stressed to PM Sanader that NATO 
membership depended on ratification after an invitation, and 
they agreed on the need to resolve WW II and communist-era 
property restitution claims of non-Croatian citizens.  FM 
Jandrokovic told the Ambassador that the GoC was "completely 
committed" to moving ahead with amendments to the property 
restitution law to give non-Croatians the same legal remedies 
as citizens, and Speaker Bebic indicated that the Sabor was 
prepared to consider such legislation. 
 
SOFA SIGNATURE ON HORIZON 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The PM told the Ambassador on Jan 21 that the 
 
government would approve the final SOFA text within a week or 
two, so Post expects movement soon on this issue within days. 
 He was amenable to a signing ceremony in Washington on the 
margins of the A-3 Defense Ministerial Feb 18 to 20. 
 
REFUGEE RETURNS: BRINGING ETHNIC SERBS INTO GOC 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7. (C) With respect to refugee returns, PM Sanader pointed to 
his extensive governing coalition agreement with the SDSS 
(Independent Democratic Serbian Party), which he said will 
ensure progress on the refugee housing issue beyond the 
benchmarks achieved in 2007 (ref F).  He also highlighted the 
fact that he had brought a member of the Serb minority into 
the government for the first time in Croatia's history to 
serve as a Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for 
refugee returns. 
 
BEYOND BUCHAREST: BECOMING THE BEST POSSIBLE ALLY 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8. (C) In all of the Ambassador's meetings, Croatian leaders 
demonstrated a clear understanding that an invitation in 
Bucharest was merely another stepping stone on a long path of 
reforms aimed at making Croatia a capable and committed ally. 
 PM Sanader promised to continue work "beyond Bucharest," 
while President Mesic said that Croatia wants to finish what 
NATO SGY Scheffer calls the marathon to membership at "the 
same pace we started." 
 
¶9. (C) DefMin Vukelic, who has already made one creditable 
appearance on a national TV talk show to promote NATO 
accession, also acknowledged the long-term nature of many 
reforms.  He highlighted the GoC's commitment to its 10-year 
restructuring and modernization plan for their military, 
which will continue many years after Croatia's expected entry 
into the Alliance. 
BRADTKE