DECIDING ITF DIRECTOR CIMPERSEK'S FUTURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001936 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS KHDP HR SUBJECT: DECIDING ITF DIRECTOR CIMPERSEK'S FUTURE REF: A. STATE 24003 ¶B. LJUBLJANA 853 ¶C. ZAGREB 1719 ¶D. LJUBLJANA 0749 CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF DARREN TAYLOR: REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) PER REFTEL A, WE HAVE PREPARED A LIST OF SPECIFIC INCIDENTS HIGHLIGHTING OUR CONCERNS (REF C) ABOUT ITF DIRECTOR JERNEJ CIMPERSEK,S SUITABILITY TO CONTINUE IN HIS CURRENT POSITION: -- LAST OCTOBER, CIMPERSEK DISPLAYED UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR DURING A/S BLOOMFIELD'S VISIT TO CROATIA TO ATTEND A DEMINING CONFERENCE IN DUBROVNIK. DURING MEETINGS WITH GOC OFFICIALS AND IN PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS, CIMPERSEK HAD TO BE REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT HIS TEMPERAMENTAL AND OPENLY HOSTILE BEHAVIOR WAS NOT HELPFUL IN RESOLVING DISPUTES WITH SENIOR GOC OFFICIALS. CIMPERSEK RESPONDED BY SIMPLY DECLARING HIS DISDAIN FOR THE GOC OFFICIALS INVOLVED. -- LAST NOVEMBER, WHEN POLOFF VISITED LJUBLJANA TO MEET WITH ITF AND PM/HDP OFFICIALS FROM WASHINGTON, WHO WERE IN TOWN TO ATTEND THE NIGHT OF A THOUSAND DINNERS EVENT, CIMPERSEK LAUNCHED AN EXPLETIVE-FILLED SCREED AT POLOFF. HE COMPLAINED BITTERLY ABOUT MANY OF THE KEY DEMINING PLAYERS IN CROATIA AND LAUNCHED SIMILAR CRITICISMS AGAINST EMBASSY ZAGREB AND SENIOR USG OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON. PM/HDP OFFICIALS WHO HEARD CIMPERSEK, INCLUDING THE THEN REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE BALKANS WHO WAS CO-LOCATED AT ITF HEADQUARTERS, WERE SHOCKED. -- DURING POLOFF,S VISIT TO ITF HEADQUARTERS EARLIER THIS YEAR TO MEET WITH THE FORMER PM/HDP BALKANS REGIONAL MANAGER, CIMPERCEK AGAIN LAUNCHED INTO A TIRADE ABOUT HIS DISPLEASURE WITH CROATIANS AND USED EXPLETIVES TO VOICE DISGUST WITH U.S. OFFICIALS WHO DEMANDED THAT HE PLAY A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN DEALING WITH CROATIAN AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN THE DEMINING COMMUNITY IN THE REGION. HIS ACTIONS PROVOKED A STRONG RESPONSE FROM THE THEN REGIONAL MANAGER WHO SUGGESTED TO CIMPERSEK THAT HE RESIGN IF HE NO LONGER WANTED TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE JOB. -- DURING POLOFF,S OTHER VISITS TO ITF HEADQUARTERS AND DURING MEETINGS IN OTHER LOCATIONS WITH CIMPERSEK, CIMPERSEK WOULD OPENLY STATE HIS EFFORTS TO DEFLECT ATTENTION AWAY FROM DEMINING PROJECTS IN CROATIA AND HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CROATIA. WHEN POLOFF TRIED TO CONVEY TO CIMPERSEK THAT THE USG MUST ENGAGE THE GOC IN A PROFESSIONAL AND DIPLOMATIC MANNER, CIMPERSEK RESPONDED THAT HE WAS SLOVENIAN AND DID NOT SHARE THE USG,S VIEW. THIS WAS ALSO HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, PARTICULARLY BIH AND SERBIA MONTENEGRO. -- SLOVENIAN OFFICIALS WORKING AT THE ITF HAVE CONFIDED TO US THAT CIMPERSEK IS UNABLE TO CONTROL HIS TEMPER AND OFTENTIMES THEY ARE THE VICTIMS OF HIS RAGE. THEY HAVE OFFERED APOLOGIES ON HIS BEHALF. CIMPERSEK, HOWEVER, HAS NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR ANY INCIDENTS AND MADE COMMITMENTS TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. FRANK NNNN