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Item Subject: S/DAS PERINA OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH CROATIAN AMBASSADOR ZUZUL

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SUBJECT: S/DAS PERINA OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH CROATIAN DECLASSIFIED

AMBASSADOR ZUZUL

REFTEL: STATE 218789

1. classified by rudolf V. perina, s/das, eur, for

reasons 1.5 (b) and (6).

2. eur senior das perina met with croatian ambassador

miomir zuzul on october 25 at the ambassador's request.
croatian embassy first secretary tomislav thur and eur/sce
notetaker tepper were also present.

summary

3. speaking on direct instructions from croatian

president tudjman, zuzul told perina the goc would accept
a six-month extension of the untaes mandate, but could not
accept a follow-on un monitoring force. monitoring by a
regional organization, perhaps the osce, would be more
palatable to croatia. perina reminded zuzul of the erdut
agreement's provision for up to 12 additional months of

agreement's provision for up to 12 additional months of

untaes at full authority. a six-month extension would
enable restoration of croatian sovereignty in the region
six months earlier than erdut would otherwise allow.
perina underscored that a iin-led monitoring mission will
be necessary to fulfill erdut's terms and build confidence
in the serb population. perina assured zuzul that the
u.s. will work to address croatian concerns regarding the
un follow-on mission, including wording of un security
council resolutions and u.s. statements on the subject.
end summary

un follow-on sticks in the croatian craw

4. despite official goc statements insisting that all

conditions have been met for transition of eastern
slavonia into croatia by january, zuzul noted that all
sides recognize there is much work still to be done.
domestic pressure, however, is pushing croatian authorites
to accelerate mandate completion, he said, citing the
sabor resolution demanding no extension whatsoever. zuzul
said the goc accepted a six-month extension as discussed
with vice president gore in august. tudjman and
transitional administrator klein negotiated language on
restoration of croatian administration in spring followed
by untaes withdrawal by summer. the goc will work to keep

Declassification Authority: Geoffrey W. Chapman, Senior Reviewer, A/GIS/IPS

6/18/2019

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Item Subject: S/DAS PERINA OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH CROATIAN AMBASSADOR ZUZUL

serbs in the region, he argued, thereby ensuring

fulfillment of erdut's goals during a six-month extension
of untaes alone. croatian authorities could not, he said,
accept an untaes two for an additional six months,
although the goc could perhaps accept osce monitoring.

radicals could take control...

5. invoking the familiar argument often forwarded by fm

granic, zuzul warned that un presence for the entirety of
1997 could create political problems. while neither zuzul
nor fm granic would support them, quote radicals unquote
could take control. the liberal faction would be in a
weak position on the eve of croatia's elections this
summer. some believed croatian military intervention in
eastern slavonia would not hold the world's attention for
very long. croatia would never have won independence, he
said, and the goc would never have regained knin by
listening to the international community.

twelve-month Un presence cannot be avoided

6. perina reminded zuzul that we have come a very long

way in eastern slavonia, and we are very close to
successful resolution of the issue. recalling the terms
of the erdut agreement, perina noted that secretary
christopher himself proposed the wording which allows up
to a full.year of untaes extension, and presidents
milosevic and tudjman both signed on to this. the u.s.
has worked for the last year on the premise that we do, in
fact, have an agreement. limiting extension of untaes to
six months, perina underscored, ensures restoration of
croatian sovereignty six months earlier than erdut obliges
and before the croatian elections.

7. perina reminded zuzul that it has been consistently

our interpretation that follow-up presence would be
required. untaes will indeed end in six months, but an
international presence will be required for follow-up
monitoring. that monitoring must be led by the un to
ensure continuity and continued confidence-building. the
osce and other organizations will assume a higher profile
in,the region in 1998. /

goc non-cooperation hurts the croatian case

8. perina noted that goc non-cooperation with untaes has

reinforced to the international community that un presence
throughout 1997 will be necessary to assure successful and'
peaceful transition. .among other failings, the goc did
not deliver regional administrative funding on time and
had used heavy-handed tactics to shut down untaes' market

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Item Subject: S/DAS PERINA OCTOBER 25 MEETING WITH CROATIAN AMBASSADOR ZUZUL

days in the zone of separation. given this situation,

perina told zuzul, we are not in a position to guarantee
that the un will be out in six months: the decision
belongs to the security council, and the russians would
push an even harder line.

is the goc fully in control of croatia?

9. perina then turned to zuzul's argument concerning an

unfavorable mandate decision unleashing quote forces
beyond the goc's control unquote. perina told zuzul that
it is the goc's responsibility to control such forces.
the u.s. has supported croatia's rapid integration into

the west on groUrids that croatia is a mature, stable, and

democratic country. perina asked if zuzul intended to
indicate that the goc may not have authority over those
who would resort to violence in eastern slavonia.

10. the argument that the goc may not be fully in command
of domestic forces has severe implications for a nation
attempting to improve its credentials as a european
democracy, and hopeful of joining partnership for peace,
perina warned. given the goc's aims, it is extremely
dangerous to give the impression that there is only a very
thin layer of stability in croatia.

appeal for goc cooperation toward a successful conclusion

11. in conclusion, perina again emphasized that croatia

will have sovereignty in the region at the end of the
untaes mandate, july, 1997. further, untaes credibility
greatly restores the un's reputation in croatia, and that
credibility will be an important factor in the un
follow-on mission. we have come a long way together,
perina stressed, and the u.s. will work to address
croatia's concerns regarding the follow-on. the goc must
work with us as well.

12. sarajevo minimize considered

CHRISTOPHER

CONFIDENTIAL

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C NFIDDNTIAL PTP8639

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