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RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0010
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RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0313
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RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BUDAPEST 000090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE MOORE, NSC FOR JEFF HOVENIER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2015 
TAGS: EUN NATO PREL PGOV BK HU
SUBJECT: VISEGRAD FOUR POLITICAL DIRECTORS MEETING IN 
SARAJEVO 
 
BUDAPEST 00000090  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Jon Martinson, reasons 1.4. b and d 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Hungarian MFA's Political Director, Gabor Ikody, 
offered to share with PolOff a report of the Visegrad Four 
(V4) Political Directors January 27-28 meeting in Sarajevo, 
Bosnia-Hercegovina.  The Political Directors met with the 
three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, with high-level officials of the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, as well as with leaders of parties of the 
House of Representatives.  They also held consultations with 
the High Representative/EUSR.  The text of the report follows. 
 
¶2. (C) Begin text 
 
Summary 
 
The consultations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) confirmed 
that the political elite in the country are concentrating on 
the preparations for the upcoming general elections in 
October 2010.  Most Bosnian partners agreed that there was 
hardly any possibility for major constitutional reforms and 
substantial progress in the distribution of state and defense 
property, i.e. completing the 5 2 requirements, before early 
next year.  There might be room for changes in the Electoral 
Law in order to accommodate the decision of the Human Rights 
Court in Strasbourg.  High attention is given to meeting 
fully the requirements of visa-liberalization, and to an 
invitation to join NATO's Membership Action Plan. Although 
forces polling strongly in the run-up to the elections seem 
to be somewhat reluctant to grant these achievements to 
parties currently holding power, the importance of urgently 
taking these steps is broadly recognized. 
 
The Members of the Presidency made a strong appeal for both 
granting visa-liberalization and NATO's MAP to BiH. 
President Silajdzic emphasized the need to continue with 
necessary work despite the elections in October.  The country 
would become paralyzed if elections, which - either local or 
general - are a biannual event in BiH, were to influence 
everyday governing.  He dismissed the debate on OHR's closure 
as a non-issue, as the Office has not yet fulfilled its 
mandate.  Silajdzic was particularly disappointed with BiH 
not getting an invitation to join MAP, although the Members 
of the Presidency were encouraged and made a joint appeal for 
it.  He highlighted his party's proposal to implement the 
decision of the Human Rights Court, by appointing a fourth 
member to the Presidency.  President Radmanovic expressed his 
opinion that the EU had different approaches towards 
countries of the Western Balkans, which did not serve the 
interests of BiH nor those of the EU.  In spite of this, his 
country was still interested in integration with the EU, but 
he cautioned that a substantial portion of the population was 
not in favor of BiH's membership in NATO, and this could 
eventually happen as regards the EU as well.  Radmanovic 
rejected any outside pressure on the constitutional reform. 
Concerning the OHR, he stressed the need for advice, but not 
for "orders" on matters relating to European integration. 
Mr. Komsic, the Chairman of the Presidency, noted that the 
only open issue in the way of gaining visa-liberalization - 
the appointing of the chief of the police agency - seemed 
technical, but, in reality, it was a political matter. 
According to him, the Bosnian side was "blackmailed" during 
the Butmir talks, and he rejected this manner of negotiations 
with BiH.  He called the decision of the Human Rights Court 
"normal" and emphasized the need to implement it, although he 
was of the opinion that any major changes of the Constitution 
were impossible under current political circumstances. 
 
The Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr Spiric, 
cautioned of obstacles in the way of BiH's path towards 
integration.  By gaining visa-liberalization (preferably 
before the tourist season) and joining MAP, an opportunity 
could be created for constitutional reforms.  As the 
country's chief executive, he confirmed that all 174 
requirements for visa-liberalization have been met. The only 
remaining issue is the appointment of the head of the police, 
which will be settled by mid-February.  He highlighted that 
integrating the defense, as well as security sectors, had 
been the most successful reforms in the country, and granting 
MAP without tying it to the completion of constitutional 
reforms would strengthen the integrationist forces of BiH. 
 
BUDAPEST 00000090  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Spiric stressed that the success or failure of the country 
was a joint responsibility of Bosnians and the International 
Community.  He affirmed that as soon as his office received 
an official note on the decision of the Human Rights Court, 
they would develop an action plan on its implementation, 
which could be done through the harmonization of the 
Electoral Law rather than through amending the Constitution. 
He dismissed the possibility of constitutional reforms in 
this election year: constitutional change is an evolutionary 
rather than a revolutionary matter, which is likely to be 
completed once BiH joins the EU.  Spiric noted with 
disillusion that the elections would only bring minor 
corrections to the political situation in BiH and he saw no 
chance of resolving open issues more easily following the 
vote.  He was disappointed that parts of the International 
Community created an image of an unsuccessful Bosnian state 
and highlighted the problem of different international 
patrons of different political forces in BiH.  He stressed 
that the unity of the country rested not on the OHR, but on 
internal dialogue, which still does not really exist fifteen 
years following the Dayton Peace Accords.  Spiric emphasized 
that there were no threats to BiH's territorial integrity. 
 
Deputy FM Mandie explained the internal processes tied to 
developing instructions in conjunction with their membership 
of the UN Security Council.  The approval process of the 
mandates involved their Delegation in New York, the Ministry 
and the Presidency, and it has been working smoothly, even in 
delicate cases like Kosovo.  BiH was preparing to send a 
one-hundred strong troop-contingent to the ISAF mission, 
although it is still not decided under the auspices of which 
lead nation.  Public opinion is not opposed to the 
deployment.  Mandic stated that visa-liberalization obtained 
by the neighbors of BiH could serve as an incentive to meet 
the necessary criteria. 
 
Dragan Cavic of the Democratic Party noted that the ethnic 
groups of the country still lived divided.  He expected no 
constitutional reforms before the general elections, but 
considered possible the implementation of the decision by the 
Human Rights Court.  He appealed for a regional approach by 
the EU to Croatia, Serbia and BiH, as regional cooperation of 
the three would guarantee their path to Europe.  Cavic 
considered BiH's relations with NATO as being linked to 
NATO-Serbian relations and preferred to concentrate first on 
the European integration efforts.  Borjana Kristo (deputy 
head of HDZ BiH (Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia) and 
President of the BiH Federation) emphasized her party's 
support for constitutional reform, but noted her pessimism as 
to its completion before the elections.  She considered 
possible the implementation of the decision by the Human 
Rights Court through the modification of the Electoral Law. 
Choosing more than three members to the Presidency and direct 
elections of it members were not an option. 
 
Minister of Justice Barisa Colak, also of HDZ BiH, enumerated 
the census and the survey of state property as key tasks 
ahead.  He also solicited support for the development of the 
transport Corridor V/c, (Note. V/c refers to the 
international motorway planned to include portions in BiH. 
End note) suffering from delays and cost increases stemming 
from the delays.  Zlatko Lagumdzija of the Social Democratic 
Party came out forcefully against President Silajdzic on his 
proposals for a fourth member of the Presidency, as a way to 
accommodate the Human Rights Court's decision.  He did not 
foresee constitutional changes before the elections.  On his 
opposition to the Butmir proposals, he explained that they 
would have only supported the radicals of the Federation and 
the Republika Srpska.  Lagumdzija considered pressure by the 
International Community counterproductive.  Analyzing the 
political processes in the run-up to the elections in 
October, his confidence was palpable.  He did not rule out 
governing with Dodik, whom he considered pragmatic, 
radicalized only by the rhetoric of Silajdzic.  He stressed 
the need for the OHR as long as constitutional problems and 
divisions within the country remained.  Lagumdzija was not 
worried about lagging behind neighbors in European 
integration and thought that granting MAP to BiH at this 
point in time would be a gift without achievements.  He 
considered constitutional reforms manageable as long as there 
was political will from the parties concerned. 
 
 
BUDAPEST 00000090  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
All interlocutors welcomed the continuous support of the V4 
to the stability and integration efforts of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina and shared interest in the experience of the 
Visegrad countries with regards to regional cooperation. 
The Political Directors also met with HR/EUSR Inzko. 
 
END TEXT 
 
¶3. (C) Comment.  Krisztian Meszaros, who traveled with 
Political Director Iklody to Sarajevo, provided a copy of the 
Political Directors' report to PolOff.  Referring to the 
report, Meszaros said Hungary doubts any Bosnian 
constitutional changes will take place before the October 
elections.  He also highlighted the "political aspects" 
associated with naming a chief of the police agency, stating 
that decision may also be delayed until after the fall 
elections.  Meszaros, acknowledging a difference of U.S. and 
Hungarian view points on the MAP issue, stated that Hungary 
continues to support the MAP for Bosnia as a way to move the 
country forward in reform efforts.  He expressed hope that 
this decision could be made at the upcoming June ministerial. 
 End comment. 
KOUNALAKIS