EXBS: CROATIA/SLOVAKIA/SLOVENIA ADVISOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ZAGREB 000321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NP/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH, AMAGOULAS AND
JMCCLELLAN; DEPT FOR EUR/ACE DMARTIN; CBP/INA FOR
PWARKER; USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY; DOC FOR PETERSEN-
BEARD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP HR LO
SI
SUBJECT: EXBS: CROATIA/SLOVAKIA/SLOVENIA ADVISOR
MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - FEB 2006


1. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS

Croatia
-------------- 6 Feb, met with the General Director
and Department Head of the State Office for
Nuclear Safety (SONS). The main focus of the
meeting was to review responsibilities of the
office (est. June 2005 per Art. 22 of the
Nuclear Safety Act) and identify areas where
EXBS assistance can contribute to professional
capacity and effectiveness. In overview, the
office is responsible for implementation of the
Act and regulations, all related record
keeping, issuance of all nuclear and related
activity and equipment licenses, and conducting
safety inspections, analysis and certification
of facilities where any form of nuclear
activity is conducted to ensure compliance with
all applicable Act provisions and regulations.

The office voiced an eager desire to receive
any NRC sponsored training applicable and
responsive to improving their professionalism
and effectiveness. Although no personnel were
available to attend the 2005 RADICAD training,
members of this body have thus far, been
included in WMD regulatory control training.
It was further determined that their
responsibilities dictate the need for radiation
pagers and accompanying training.

-------------- 7 and 14 Feb, met with Deputy Head of
Border Police and Department Heads of Maritime
Police to plan and coordinate the U.S. Coast
Guard Assessment visit scheduled for 20-28 Feb.

-------------- 7 Feb, met with representatives of
Lockheed Martin (currently engaged in the
development of Croatian MOD radars) to motivate
discussion with the Coast Guard Assessment Team
toward identifying technical problems and
responsive solutions to MOD coastal radar
support of MOI Maritime Police operations.

-------------- 7 Feb, met with instructors for the
U.S. Commerce sponsored Licensing Workshop
scheduled for 8-10 Feb, to review training
materials and verify arrangements for the
session.

-------------- 15 Feb, met with the Ministry of
Finance Customs Directorate, Assistant Minister
and Director General (DG) and the Assistant
Director Generals (ADG) for International
Cooperation and Anti-Smuggling to discuss the
status of USG cooperation, particulary EXBS
support. Talking points focused upon
encouraging completion of their Strategic Plan
and associated mechanisms necessary to meet
assigned EU goals and strengthen Croatia's role
in support of international export control
regimes. The offering of capacity building
assistance and support through donations of
specialized nonproliferation training and
technical detection equipment was again
extended in support of those aims. The DG
acknowledged that although these instruments
had not yet been implemented, Customs did
expect to meet that goal by the spring and
would also welcome our equipment donation
offerings. The point was made clear that any
offering carried an expectation that Customs
would willingly make a more concerted effort to
demonstrate measurable goal progression through
the linkage of tactical deployments of

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equipment with published strategic planning
methodology. The DG's concluding remarks were
limited to gratitude for any donations, a
general declaration of good will through
contined coordination and cooperation with no
commitments directed toward the specific points
addressed.

This meeting was significant in that it
revealed an observed distinction in attitude
between the DG and the ADGs. This point was
made clear in conversation at the conclusion of
the meeting that the ADGs, unlike the DG, were
predisposed toward a preference and desire for
active EXBS cooperation and assistance but
lacked the necessary decision making authority
for any commitment. A subsequent meeting with
the Regional Head of Customs in Rijeka
presented a similar point of view. The Customs
Rijeka official commented that he had been
briefed on the content of the meeting with the
DG in Zagreb. He basically agreed that
integration of the suggested points could offer
greater progressive opportunity for
international and EU harmonization of Customs
responsibilities. He stated he has long
advocated adoption of a more progressive
centralized enforcement and compliance driven
Risk Management policy that offers more
responsive and effective interdiction and
revenue potential over the current
decentralized revenue driven approach he sees
as only marginally effective. Following a
scheduled meeting with relevant EU
representatives in Zagreb to discuss and
coordinate joint ongoing MOF (Customs)
international assistance, a subsequent meeting
with Customs will be scheduled to address their
commitment toward a plan for deployment of
projected EXBS donations of technical
equipment.

-------------- 15 Feb, met with representatives of
Safeworld, a contracting agency assigned by the
EU to analyze arms export controls across the
Stability Pact States and Croatia's
contribution to that process. The
representatives were given a briefing on the
status of all EXBS initiatives ongoing in
Croatia, an update on the progressive state of
Croatian export controls initiatives,
particularly in relation to their ongoing EU
membership screening process, and the close
relationship between the U.S. and EU in
promoting Croatia's export control and border
security capacity.


-------------- 16 Feb, met with representatives of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss their
leadership role within Croatia's Export Control
Coordinating Body. MFA concurred that one of
their principal responsibilities is to
encourage and promote cooperative support and
cohesiveness among all the relevant member
ministries and ensure their assigned delegates
had the necessary backing and authority to
contribute equally, responsibly and decisively
to the licensing control process. In that role,
MFA suggested the development and presentation
of an Executive and Senior Management Export
Control and Licensing Workshop. The workshop
aim would be to engage, focus and challenge
Ministers, their pertinent deputies, assistants
and senior management staff toward the

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development and promotion of clear channels of
understanding, communication and exchange
between ministries (both internally and
externally) to support the conduct of their
assigned role responsibilities and
participation in Croatia's export controls
initiatives. Although MFA initially asked USG
(EXBS) to develop, host and present the
proposed workshop, it was subsequently agreed
that MFA should more appropriately undertake
these leadership responsibilities with EXBS
support. It was further agreed that this
concept should be studied in more detail prior
to further discussion and development.

-------------- 20-24 Feb, coordinated and hosted visit
of the DOS NP/ECC Desk Officer for Croatia and
Slovenia. The visit included attendance and
guest speaker/panel member at the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
and EU sponsored Regional Dual-Use/Export
Control Seminar and subsequent meetings with
pertinent U.S. Embassy Zagreb staff, U.S. Coast
Guard Assessment Team members and Croatian
Ministry representatives in Zagreb and Split.

-------------- 19-28 Feb, coordinated and hosted visit
of the U.S. Coast Guard Assessment Team to
support EXBS Program objectives. Team members
initially meet with DOS U.S. Embassy Zagreb
staff and Ministry officials of the MoI Border
Police Maritime Division (BMP) and the Ministry
of Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development
(MOSTTD Port Authority and Harbor Masters) in
Zagreb. The team subsequently traveled to
Split, Vis, Ploce, Dubrovnik and Rijeka to
evaluate the capacities, development and needs
of the MoI BP and MOSTTD in the conduct of
mission performance from operational patrols to
port security, particularly in response to WMD
and NP requirements. Regional meetings were
held with Ministries representing the
Coordinating Body to include MoI BMP, MOSTTD,
MoF Customs Directorate and MOD Navy to discuss
mission roles, coordination, and radar access,
operational capacities and identify collective
and individual limitations and needs. The
visit was concluded with an out brief of
findings to both U.S. and Croatian officials.



Slovenia.

-------------- 17 Feb, attended country team and
coordination meetings at Embassy Ljubljana to
discuss status of Slovenian MoE continuing
support of ICP workshops. Slovenian MoE
licensing officials have been unwilling to
schedule any working meetings during Feb,
pending the completion of their response to the
Ambassador's letter dated 10 Feb. The letter
inquired about MoE's continued support of ICP,
Tracker and the Wisconsin Project. One MoE
official contacted expressed some optimism
(somewhat wishfully),that the forthcoming
official response might be constructive. A
meeting with the MoE Undersecretary for
Licensing is scheduled for 9 Mar to verify
their continued support of the remaining EXBS
program initiatives.

2.TRAINING

Croatia

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-------------- 01 Feb, EU and SIPRI, in coordination
with EXBS participation, sponsored a one day
Industry Outreach Seminar with a variety of
guest speakers providing advise and knowledge
in the development of a viable industry
outreach program. Attendees included the MoE,
MFA, MoD, the Chamber of Commerce and private
industry.



-------------- 07-08 Feb, MoE Division for Trade and
Licensing sent two delegates to attend a UNDP
SEESAC conference in Belgrade to discuss
development of a regional annual report on
small arms controls.

-------------- 08-10 Feb, MoE hosted a USDOC sponsored
Licensing Procedures and Practices Workshop in
Zagreb. Speakers included two USDOC contract
specialists, two U.S. and two EU licensing
officials. Attending GOC officials represented
the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy,
Defense, Finance (Customs) and the State Office
for Nuclear Safety along with representation
from the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and
private industry.

-------------- 20-22 Feb, EU and SIPRI sponsored a
Regional Dual-Use/Export Control Seminar in
Zagreb attended by Croatian MoE delegates. The
USDOS NP/ECC Desk Officer for Croatia and
Slovenia also attended a day session as a guest
speaker and discussion panel member.

Slovenia

-------------- 31 Jan - 01 Feb, the second portion of
the DOC sponsored Internal Control Program
(ICP) training was held in Ljubljana. Attendees
included MoE officials and representatives from
private industry coordinated through the
Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. DOC endorsed
the request for inclusion of a EU speaker
(formerly Estonian MoE and current EU
consultant) to address issues of concern to
Slovenian MoE. The speaker explained the EU
position on the use of denial lists,
government-industry outreach roles and
responsibilities and other export control
related issues. This participation appeared to
have a positive impact and lent greater
credibility to the training effort. If this
workshop is to continue this approach should be
considered for the next session.

3.EQUIPMENT STATUS

Slovakia.

-------------- In Feb Slovak Customs requested repair
of their X-Ray van monitors. Coordination with
Bechtel Nevada Corp. (DOE/NNSA) determined
repairs would be carried out during regular
scheduled maintenance in Aug 2006. EXBS
Bratislava coordinated a similar repair through
LATA/L3 at the request of U.S. Embassy Budapest
and Hungarian Customs.

-------------- Feb status update on Portal Monitor
Upgrades at Slovakian POE's, along the
Ukrainian border, continuing in coordination
with DOE. DOE is currently assisting Slovak
Customs in modification of the required MOU in

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accordance with EU Commission instruction.

The portal monitors at Vysne Nemecke POE must
be relocated due to extensive facility
reconstruction to accommodate an increase in
border traffic. Selection of a new site for
the monitors will be done subsequent to the
awarding of the contract and submission of the
project plan draft by Apr 06. The proposed
project completion date is Dec 06.

The portal monitors and checkpoint at Cierna
nd Tisou Railway POE must be relocated closer
to the border in compliance with Schengen
requirements. Attendees included representation
from both industry and government.

FRANK