CROATIA,S ANTI-TIP AND POLICE REFORM EFFORTS GET

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000475 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, INL/AAE, INL/RM, NP/ECC, AND G/TIP JUSTICE FOR ICITAP SARAJEVO FOR LEGATT AND ICITAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM KJUS PHUM PREL ETTC HR SUBJECT: CROATIA,S ANTI-TIP AND POLICE REFORM EFFORTS GET BOOST AT DONATION CEREMONY REF: 05 STATE 140576 ¶1. (U) Ambassador Frank and Minister of Interior Ivica Kirin gave Croatia,s anti-TIP efforts a strong push on April 11 with a public ceremony to mark the handover of FBI-funded computer equipment to the Croatian police (MUP). Most of the major print media covered the donation, and several local radio stations that Post has not seen at other USG public events covered the donation ceremony. ¶2. (U) The Ambassador and Minister also signed the Additional Protocol to the Letter of Agreement (reftel) extending post,s INL-supported, SEED-funded ICITAP police reform program. Per reftel instructions, post will forward the signed original via pouch to INL/RM. ¶3. (SBU) In a private meeting following the ceremony (see also Septel),Minister Kirin and Police Director General Marijan Benko praised bilateral police cooperation and the ICITAP program, and asked that the USG continue to support police reform in Croatia through targeted training, police academy development, and additional equipment donations, particularly for border security operations. FRANK