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DE RUEHVB #0453 2051156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241156Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9417
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
POLX

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000453 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SCE AND EUR/RPM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EINV KHDP KCRM HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - JULY 24 
 
¶1. (SBU) BOZINOVIC APPOINTED MFA STATE SECRETARY FOR 
POLITICAL AFFAIRS: 
On July 16 the MFA announced that Davor Bozinovic would be 
the new MFA State Secretary for Political Affairs, replacing 
Bianca Matkovic who is now serving as Minister without 
Portfolio in the new Kosor government.  Bozinovic has held a 
number of diplomatic postings including MFA State Secretary 
for European Integration and Croatia,s Ambassador to NATO. 
Bozinovic is a good contact of the Embassy and played a key 
role in the GoC,s public education campaign explaining the 
benefits of NATO to Croatians.  (D,Amico) 
 
¶2. (SBU) POLICE INVESTIGATING EXPLOSION IN SIBENIK: 
On July 21 in the coastal town of Sibenik an explosive device 
attached to the car of a local security guard went off when 
he was driving near local government offices.  Although the 
driver did not sustain any injuries, one Croatian bystander 
was seriously wounded and two Austrian tourists were slightly 
injured.  Unofficial sources told the press that the 
explosive involved was an M75 hand grenade.   Tourism 
Minister Bajs stated publically and contacts at the Ministry 
of Interior told post that they had ruled out terrorism as a 
possible motivation for the explosion.  The police were 
investigating the possibility that the incident may be 
related to the security guard,s connection to a local 
political dispute or a personal grudge against him. 
(D,Amico) 
 
¶3. (SBU) POTENTIAL U.S. INVESTMENT IN TOXIC AGENT TRAINING 
FACILITY SPARKS CONTROVERSY: 
Embassy Commercial Office was contacted by Colorado based 
KnoTox Inc. on July 21 regarding a $15 million joint 
U.S.-Canadian investment in a live agent training facility on 
the Dalmatian coast.  The facility would reportedly provide 
chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive 
training services to the Croatian Ministry of Defense.  The 
company planned to hold a press conference July 23 to 
announce an agreement with the MOD and requested Embassy 
participation, which we declined.   The company then sent out 
a press release claiming strong support of the U.S. and 
Croatian governments for the project, and announced that the 
Canadian Ambassador and U.S. Defense Attache would attend. 
The release immediately generated highly sensationalized, 
negative press articles accusing the MOD of planning a 
project with high potential risk to public safety.  For its 
part, the MOD claims they never made any agreement with the 
U.S. company.  KnoTox has since cancelled the press 
conference as well as other press interviews they had 
scheduled.  The Embassy has reinforced to the press that we 
have no connection to this company or its project. 
(DWestfall) 
 
¶4. (U) AMCHAM DONATES TO USG DEMINING PROJECT: 
In a donation ceremony on July 16, the American Chamber of 
Commerce donated $27,000 raised at the December 2008 Night of 
1,000 Dinners in Zagreb. The funds will be used to supplement 
USG donations for demining fields in the village of Slana 
near the city of Petrinja.  The agricultural fields have 
known minefield records and, apart from one small gravel 
road, completely surround the village church and cemetery. 
Local media covered the donation ceremony and also 
interviewed the owners of the fields which have been unusable 
for more than 15 years. (CZimmer) 
 
¶5. (U) US MILITARY REFURBISHES KNIN HOSPITAL: 
The US European Command humanitarian project designed to 
improve the functioning and working-conditions of the only 
hospital in the mixed Croat-Serb area of Knin is in full 
swing.  More than a dozen US Airmen are in the midst of a 
$130,000 project that will provide fresh paint throughout the 
hospital, rework the building,s ventilation system, upgrade 
the heating system, refurbish the sanitary facilities in the 
children's wing.  In addition to demonstrating to the local 
community the direct benefits of US-Croatian military 
cooperation, the project is giving US Air Force engineers the 
opportunity to build relationships with their Croatian 
military engineer counterparts at a nearby Croatian military 
base.  This project received strong support from local 
officials, including the mayor, and received positive 
coverage in local media.  Overall, the US European Command 
will provide around $800,000 in humanitarian assistance to 
Croatia in 2009. (DMEGES) 
WALKER