SERBIA MINT ACCEPTS INVITATION FOR TRAINING AT

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001986 SIPDIS SIPDIS Department pass to PM/PPA Featherstone E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: MARR MASS PGOV IT NI SR SUBJECT: SERBIA MINT ACCEPTS INVITATION FOR TRAINING AT COESPU REF: A) STATE 191198; B) Delgado-Featherston emails (12/1/06 and 12/5/06) (notal) ¶1. (U) The Ministry of Interior has accepted a joint US- Italian invitation to participate in training at the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (COESPU) located in Vicenza, Italy and proposed eight candidates for participation in the six week middle management course that is scheduled to begin on January 8, 2007. (ref A). ¶2. (U) Embassy recommends immediately arranging a Mobile Assistance Team (MAT) visit before the 22nd of December to review details (including follow-up requirements) and confirm this commitment before the holiday season here begins and everything grinds to a halt. Request Department provide an American operational point of contact at COESPU that will allow us to help with details and avoid any last minute snafus. ¶3. (U) Polcouns and RSO met with Director of Police, Milorad Veljovic on December 1 to extend invitation and background information provided in ref A. Veljovic indicated his interest in having the Serbian Police and Gendarmerie participate in the training and promised to get back to us with names of candidates quickly. He acknowledged the Ministry's responsibility to set up a training regime after the training (with possible assistance from Italy and the U.S.). We also sent the background information to Jovan Miriljovic, the MFA's director of UN affairs, advising him of our discussions and efforts with the Ministry of Interior. ¶4. Polcouns joined two colleagues from the Italian Embassy (first secretary Colombo; and a representative of the Italian police assigned to the Embassy) on December 8 for a meeting with Drazen Maravic, Head of the Bureau for International Cooperation and European Integration in the Cabinet of the Ministry of Interior, to confirm details of the training. Maravic welcomed the joint US-Italian invitation and noted recent efforts by the Ministry to establish an inter-ministerial framework with representatives from Defense and Foreign Affairs to coordinate future GoS engagement in peacekeeping operations. While still a work in progress, he welcomed our help in providing a training regime on the police side that could deepen the MINT's capabilities for policing in a peacekeeping environment. Maravic also suggested a visit by a senior official from the Ministry (e.g. Director of Policy Veljovic or Head of the Gendarmerie General Tesic) to COESPU sometime in the near future to reinforce senior level support for the initiative. ¶5. (U) In a letter dated December 8, MINT State Secretary offered eight candidates (listed below) for possible participation in the six week middle management course that is scheduled to begin on January 8. We have requested additional information (exact date and places of birth) that will allow us to vet the candidates for Leahy provisions before training begins on January 8. ¶1. Irena Pasti, Higher Police Inspector. Works in criminal police observation and documentation department. DOB June 08, 1979 ¶2. Danilo Stojanovic, Higher Police Inspector. Works in public gatherings observation department. DOB October 23, ¶1978. ¶3. Zeljko Lestanin, Higher Police Inspector. Head of section in security detachment department. DOB April 25, ¶1977. ¶4. Zeljko Jovic, Captain, Team Head of Gendarmerie Anti- terrorist Unit YOB 1972 ¶5. Milan Popovic, Lieutenant, Police training instructor. Novi Sad Gendarmerie Detachment. YOB 1976 ¶6. Dejan Nikolic, Sergeant, Team Head of Special Anti- terrorist Unit, DOB June 27, 1975 ¶7. Vladan Mirkovic, Junior Sergeant, Group Head of Special Anti-terrorist Unit, DOB July 29, 1977 ¶8. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Independent Police Inspector. Deputy Commander of Belgrade Railroad Security, YOB 1977. POLT