VZCZCXRO6288
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVB #0284 0871411
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271411Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8789
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA 
OSD FOR WINTERNITZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - MARCH 27, 2008 
 
REF: ZAGREB 265 
 
¶1. (U) CROATIAN SERB PARTY TO REMAIN IN GOVERNMENT: 
The Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) has decided to 
remain a coalition partner in the Croatian Government despite 
its disagreement with the government's decision on March 19 
to recognize Kosovo.  On March 26, the SDSS leadership met to 
review the party's continued participation in the government. 
  The party noted that it still disagrees with the 
Government's recognition of Kosovo, but decided to stay in 
the government and keep the coalition agreement in force. 
SDSS President Vojislav Stanimirovic was quoted in the press 
that the problems of Croatian Serbs had to be a higher 
priority for the party than the status of Kosovo.  "Becoming 
(the) opposition would create new problems for us and would 
push us several years backward," added party vice president 
Milorad Pupovac.  SDSS representative Slobodan Uzelac, who 
had offered his resignation immediately after the recognition 
decision, will therefore remain a Deputy Prime Minister. 
(ZTomic) 
 
¶2. (U) WAR CRIME TRIALS MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS BUT 
COULD IMPROVE IN SOME AREAS: 
A report by a group of respected local NGOs on the conduct of 
War Crime Trials in Croatian during 2007 found that the vast 
majority of monitored trials met basic international 
standards for fair and unbiased trials.  However, the report 
did call for some improvements including:  strengthening the 
investigating centers of four County Courts (Zagreb, Osijek, 
Rijeka and Split); intensifying investigation efforts; 
increasing witness and victim support; and further 
strengthening cooperation with neighboring states.  In 
response to the NGO report, Minister of Justice Ana Lovrin 
cited improvements in judicial proceedings, and specifically 
mentioned the utilization of video conference systems for 
testimony.   (NOTE: The digital video conference systems at 
the four largest Croatian County courts adjudicating war 
crimes (Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split) as well as the 
Vukovar County court, which has the largest number of 
domestic war crime cases were all provided through USG 
assistance.)  Minister Lovrin said that further education on 
the use of the systems will be organized through the Judicial 
Academy.  At the conference presenting the report, which 
garnered significant national media attention, Croatia's 
Chief State Prosecutor also reiterated his determination to 
prosecuting every war crime committed in Croatia regardless 
of the defendants' ethnicity.  (VDjukic) 
 
¶3. (SBU) WHITE HOUSE ADVANCE TEAM ARRIVES ZAGREB: 
Members of the White House advance team began arriving in 
Zagreb this week and have begun intense preparations for the 
President's up-coming visit.  The advance team held an 
orientation meeting on March 27 with Embassy Zagreb staff 
supporting the visit.  Together, Embassy and White House 
staff have begun visiting various sites to prepare for the 
arrival and visits of the President and First Lady. 
Meanwhile, President Bush's interview with the Croatian news 
agency HINA was given good coverage.  Two of the largest 
circulation dailies ran the interview with headlines noting 
that NATO was not seeking military bases in Croatia. (PMcCabe) 
Bradtke