SERBIA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001934 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC KCRM EFIN KHLS KPAO SR SUBJECT: SERBIA: 2006 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 175925 ¶1. (u) The USG has an overall excellent working relationship with Serbia on counter- terrorism issues. Both policy-level and operational-level interlocutors have been eager to cooperate with the USG on a wide range of issues including border security, information sharing, antiterrorism financing, export control, and the like. Internally, the GoS has shown a consistently strong commitment to counterterror and antiterror operations. In 2006, Serbia and the USG signed an agreement on countering proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the agreement is provisionally in force upon signature and awaits ratification by the Serbian parliament. Also in 2006, Serbia decided to support the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). While still largely complacent about the prospect of an attack in Serbia by international terrorists and confident that Serbia will not become a terrorist safehaven, Belgrade officials are significantly concerned about the potential for a rise in Middle Eastern terrorist transit through Serbia. ¶2. (u) Comment: Serbia would benefit greatly from increased U.S. assistance and training in order to boost its counterterrorism capabilities, which in turn would help meet U.S. goals of preventing a stable terrorist network from developing in the Balkans. Such assistance could include additional education for government and business on dual-use controls and targeted anti-terrorism training assistance. The USG could also move ahead swiftly in helping to train, equip, and otherwise assist Serbian military and civilian security structures to enhance their counterterror and non-proliferation capacities and advance key USG Global War On Terror and counterproliferation goals in the process. Some steps are already underway through the EXBS program, but much more could be done with targeted assistance through ATA and other mechanisms. POLT