ALBANIA: GROWING DEMILITARIZATION EXPERTISE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 001064

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, ISN, PM/WRA
DOD FOR OSD/AWINTERNITZ

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PARM PREL NATO AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA: GROWING DEMILITARIZATION EXPERTISE

REF: A) TIRANA 446, B) TIRANA 808

SUMMARY
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1. (U) Albania in early December completed the destruction of over
2,700 metric tons of its largest munitions (over 3,000 sea mines,
torpedoes and aerial bombs),some of which contained as much as 700
kg. of TNT. In July 2007, Albania became the first country to
destroy its chemical weapons stockpile under the Chemical Weapons
Convention, and the country is well on the road to eliminating its
dangerous Cold War legacy of over 100,000 tons of conventional
ammunition, MANPADS, and SA-2 rockets. Albania seeks USG assistance
to finish the destruction of its surplus munitions. This would
eliminate not only a significant danger and a proliferation risk,
but would also sharpen Albania's expertise in weapons
demilitarization, providing a niche capability to NATO. Defense
Minister Mediu has also offered to give usable ammunition to aid
ISAF/Coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Ministry of Defense (MOD) officials on December 12 celebrated
the completion of Albania's Heavy Munitions Destruction Project
(HMD),which destroyed over 2,700 metric tons of Albania's largest
surplus munitions (over 3,000 sea mines, torpedoes, depth charges
and aerial bombs). Ambassador Don Mahley, Acting Deputy Assistant
Secretary for the Bureau of International Security and

SIPDIS
Non-Proliferation (ISN),traveled to Tirana for the awards ceremony
and press conference. He praised the U.S. contractor SAIC, MOD
explosive ordnance demolition (EOD) teams, and a group of retired
Albanian military EOD experts (the National Demilitarization Center
- NDC) for their close cooperation and adherence to safety
standards. A/DAS Mahley noted that the project was completed under
budget and ahead of schedule while observing strict NATO safety
standards.

BACKGROUND
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3. (U) In 2005, the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF)
funded the USD 2.8 million HMD project. The obsolete and decaying
naval munitions were stored in nine poorly-maintained sites along
the coast, creating a serious safety risk in Albania's prime
developing tourist areas with encroaching civilian housing and
establishments. NDF attempted several tenders, but contractors'
bids were based on explosive demolition and the MOD was unable to
find a suitable range to blow up the munitions, some of which
contained 700 kilograms of TNT. NDF changed the Statement of Work
in late 2006 to require non-explosive demolition.

SECOND MILESTONE
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4. (U) Albania received world-wide attention in July 2007 when it
became the first country to destroy its chemical weapons under the
Chemical Weapons Convention, also with USG assistance (reftels).
Ambassador Mahley, whose office also oversees the U.S. chemical
weapon destruction program, praised the Albanians for their
transparency and cooperation in declaring their chemical agents and
said that Albania's example will be a model for any countries which
will be making new chemical weapons declarations to the Organization
for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

MUCH MORE TO DO
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5. (SBU) As an encore, Albania must choose what to destroy next:
small-caliber ammunition, artillery and mortar ordnance, MANPADS or
SA-2 rockets. With over 100,000 tons of surplus ordnance,
destruction of these stocks will take time and be expensive.
Minister Mediu told Ambassador Mahley that he will ask for
additional USG help, particularly to destroy Albania's stockpile of
old HM-5 MANPADS and decaying SA-2 missiles. Mediu also wants to
give away ammunition useable for combat or training for use in
Afghanistan and Iraq as an additional measure of Albania's support
for military efforts in both countries. He asked for USG assistance
to transport the ammunition, as well as to inventory and identify
useable ammunition. (Note: Mediu asked Deputy Prime Minister Oketa
to raise this topic with DOD officials during his recent visit to
Washington.)

NATO CAPABILITIES
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6. (U) Responding to Allied suggestions that Albania deliver "niche
capabilities" for use in NATO operations, the MOD has taken major

TIRANA 00001064 002 OF 002


steps to develop a modern, capable EOD organization while
eliminating a significant danger to its population and reducing a
proliferation risk. NDC has become a "reserve" for retired military
EOD specialists, who, with their active duty counterparts, can offer
technical services to other countries in the region. NDC and active
duty EOD teams have been highly praised by several U.S. contractors
for their knowledge, expertise, and attention to safety. In
addition, Albania's three ammunition factories have been employed to
disassemble some of the larger munitions and steam out the TNT,
providing a safe means of demilitarization while employing
Albanians.

COMMENT
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7. (SBU) Albania has made impressive EOD achievements, but finding
future funding to build on these efforts will be difficult, now that
the major WMD and proliferation risks are gone. Canada led the most
recent effort through the NATO PfP trust fund, raising 6.2 million
euros to destroy 11,600 metric tons of ammunition, but that program
has now come to an end. NATO HQ Tirana Commander General Rintis has
frequently urged Allies to support additional trust fund projects,
so far without success. Ambassador Mahley suggested that the
Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program might be expanded to
include conventional ammunition, which would provide additional USG
funding. Post will continue to engage the Allies and urge them to
support Albania's EOD efforts. End comment.


8. (U) Ambassador Mahley has cleared this cable.

WITHERS