C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000914

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/AAE, EUR/SCE, EUR/PRA, EUR/ACE AND NP
LJUBLJANA FOR EXBS PROGRAM ADVISOR
JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT
SARAJEVO FOR TILMAN AND KONTOS
VIENNA FOR LEGATT AND CUSTOMS
ROME FOR DEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2008
TAGS: KSTC ETTC PARM PREL ETTC PARM PREL HR HRKSTC
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING THE CROATIA EXBS PROGRAM

REF: A. STATE 92865

B. 02 STATE 253531

CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF ROB SILBERSTEIN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (SBU) POST WELCOMES DEPARTMENT'S DECISION TO LAUNCH AN
EXBS PROGRAM IN CROATIA AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT
ON THE EXBS PROGRAM "ROAD MAP" (REF A). THE TECHNICAL
PROGRAMS AND TRAINING THAT COME WITH THE EXBS PROGRAM GIVE US
ADDED LEVERAGE TO FOSTER INCREASED GOC COOPERATION ON
REGIONAL SECURITY AND ARMS CONTROL ISSUES.

THE EXBS ENVIRONMENT IN CROATIA
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2. (SBU) THE ASSISTANCE ENVIRONMENT IN CROATIA IS COMPLEX AND
HAS CHANGED MARKEDLY SINCE THE EXBS ASSESSMENT TEAM CAME TO
ZAGREB IN MARCH 2002. CROATIA, UNDER THE EU'S STABILIZATION
AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT, HAS BEGUN TO RECEIVE MILLIONS OF
EUROS IN ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE EU/CARDS PROGRAM.
APPROXIMATELY EURO 14 MILLION PER YEAR FROM 2002 TO 2004 IS
EARMARKED FOR BORDER CONTROL, POLICE AND CUSTOMS REFORM AND
ASYLUM ISSUES. EU MEMBER STATES ALSO PROVIDE LIMITED
BILATERAL ASSISTANCE ON BORDER SECURITY ISSUES. THE USG,
THROUGH THE INL- AND SEED-FUNDED PROGRAMS PROVIDES
APPROXIMATELY USD 1.5 MILLION PER YEAR IN ASSISTANCE FOR
POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR REFORM. U.S. PROGRAMS ARE
DUE TO PHASE OUT IN FY 2004. WE RECENTLY ALSO LAUNCHED THE
DOD-MANAGED WMD COUNTER-PROLIFERATION PROGRAM. OUR CHALLENGE
IS TO ENSURE THAT THE EXBS PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS AND DOES NOT
COMPETE WITH THESE EXISTING INITIATIVES.


3. (C) THE EU FACTOR IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. CROATIA'S
PRINCIPAL FOREIGN POLICY GOAL IS EU MEMBERSHIP. OUR
EXPERIENCE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THAT CROATIAN POLICY-MAKERS
WILL SHY AWAY FROM IMPLEMENTING ANY INITIATIVE SHOULD

THEY
BELIEVE THAT ITS PRESCRIPTIONS ARE IN CONFLICT WITH EU
RECOMMENDATIONS OR PROGRAMS.


4. (SBU) WHILE THE ASSISTANCE FIELD IS CROWDED, THE EXBS
PROGRAM ADDRESSES A UNIQUE NEED. THE EU'S PROGRAMS ARE
FOCUSED ON CROATIA'S EXTENSIVE UNDER-MANNED AND
UNDER-EQUIPPED LAND BORDER: CROATIAN PORTS AND MARITIME
SECURITY ISSUES LARGELY HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY THE EU. NEITHER
DOES THE CARDS PROGRAM ENVISION INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN
CROATIAN CONTROLS OVER ARMS AND DUAL USE EXPORTS. U.S.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS COULD PROVIDE A
USEFUL LAUNCHING PAD FOR SOME EXBS INITIATIVES, BUT THEIR
EMPHASIS LAYS ELSEWHERE.


5. (C) DURING OUR BILATERAL DEFENSE CONSULTATIONS IN FEBRUARY
2003, GOC REPRESENTATIVES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LACK OF
INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION SERIOUSLY DEGRADED CROATIA'S ABILITY
TO CONTROL ITS BORDERS AND TO MANAGE CRISES. WHILE SOME
REFORMERS IN THE GOC ARE READY TO CREATE AN INTER-AGENCY
COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE BORDER AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT ISSUES,
BUREAUCRATIC RESISTANCE WITHIN THE GOC HAS STYMIED THIS
INITIATIVE TO DATE. BY TARGETING OUR EXBS ASSISTANCE, WE
HOPE TO ENCOURAGE THE GOC TO STAND UP SUCH A COMMITTEE IN
ORDER TO MANAGE THE RESOURCES THAT WOULD FLOW FROM THE EXBS
AND WMD PROGRAMS. SUCH A SINGLE FOCAL POINT WOULD MAKE OUR
ASSISTANCE DELIVERY MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL AS ENHANCE THE
OVERALL BORDER SECURITY/CRISIS MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF
CROATIA.

WAY AHEAD
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6. (SBU) UPON RECEIPT OF REF A, POST FORMED AN EXBS WORKING

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ACTION INL-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 CIAE-00 CIP-00 CTME-00 DOEE-00
WHA-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-00 VC-00
TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NRRC-00
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 PM-00 ACE-00 P-00
SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 T-00 USIE-00
EPAE-00 ECA-00 SSD-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01
NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /004W
-------------- 5AEA8B 250604Z /38
R 250554Z APR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0022
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC
DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
CTF SIX SIX
COMSIXTHFLT
COMUSEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE
COMUSEUCOM ALT SHAPE BE
DIA WASHDC
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FBI WASHDC
USMISSION USOSCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 000914

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INL/AAE, EUR/SCE, EUR/PRA, EUR/ACE AND NP
LJUBLJANA FOR EXBS PROGRAM ADVISOR
JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT
SARAJEVO FOR TILMAN AND KONTOS
VIENNA FOR LEGATT AND CUSTOMS
ROME FOR DEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2008
TAGS: KSTC ETTC PARM PREL ETTC PARM PREL HR HRKSTC
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING THE CROATIA EXBS PROGRAM

GROUP COMPRISED OF DAO AND POL SECTIONS REPRESENTATIVES, THE
DOJ/ICITAP POLICE ADVISOR, U.S. CUSTOMS/SECI ADVISOR, AND
EXBS PROGRAM MANAGER STEVE HAYWARD. THE WORKING GROUP
CONCURRED WITH THE GENERAL THRUST OF THE REF A ROAD MAP,
PARTICULARLY ITS EMPHASIS ON PORT AND MARITIME SECURITY AND
EXPORT CONTROL TRAINING. THE DOJ/ICITAP ADVISOR COMMENTED
THAT THE USD 55,000 IN "TRAIN-THE-TRAINER" EQUIPMENT
DUPLICATED ONGOING INL- AND SEED-FUNDED ACTIVITIES. WE
RECOMMEND THAT THIS FUNDING BE REALLOCATED TO OTHER EXBS
NEEDS. THE EXBS ADVISOR WAS ASKED TO FOLLOW UP ON A INFORMAL
PLEDGE OF WMD-PROGRAM IMPLEMENTERS TO DELIVER USD 75,000 IN
RADIATION PAGERS THROUGH THE WMD PROGRAM, FREEING UP THOSE
RESOURCES FOR OTHER EXBS ACTIVITIES. THE WORKING GROUP ALSO
RECOMMENDED THAT THE EXBS ADVISOR INCORPORATE IN THE DRAFT
EXBS CROATIA 2003 COUNTRY PLAN PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT AND
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NURTURE THE GOC'S NASCENT INTER-AGENCY BORDER SECURITY AND
CRISIS COORDINATION BODY.

NEXT STEPS
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7. (SBU) POST PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING NOTIONAL TIME-LINE FOR
ENGAGING WITH THE GOC AND OTHER BILATERAL DONORS ON THE EXBS
PROGRAM:

-- BY APRIL 30: NOTIFY THE GOC THAT THE EXBS PROGRAM HAS
BEEN APPROVED, OUTLINE OUR VISION FOR IMPLEMENTING THE
PROGRAM AND DELIVER THE EXBS "TRIP REPORT" (REF B).

-- APRIL 30: INFORMALLY BRIEF THE LOCAL INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY DONORS ASSISTANCE GROUP (EU, OSCE, FRANCE, UK,
GERMANY, AUSTRIA, CANADA) ON THE EXBS INITIATIVE. BEGIN
INTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS, WHO
DIRECT THE EU/CARDS BORDER POLICE AND CUSTOMS REFORM
INITIATIVES.

-- MID-MAY: EMBASSY EXBS WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW DRAFT EXBS
2003 CROATIA COUNTRY PLAN THAT EXBS LJUBLJAN IS IN THE
PROCESS OF DRAFTING.

-- EARLY JUNE: PRESENT EXBS 2003 PROPOSED WORK PLAN TO THE
MFA AND TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOC'S MARITIME AND BORDER
SECURITY COMMITTEE FOR COMMENT AND APPROVAL.


8. (U) EMBASSY ZAGREB EXBS POCS ARE: POLOFF ROBERT
SILBERSTEIN: 385-1-661-2341; CELL: 385-91-455-2379. DAO:
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LCDR ROBERT ALLEN: 385-1-661-2308; CELL: 385-91-455-2308.
MOON

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