EXBS: CROATIA/SLOVAKIA/SLOVENIA ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001015 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NP/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH 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 - OCTOBER 2007 ¶1. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS Croatia -------------- 18 October, met with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) General Police Directorate, Deputy Head of Border Police to present the Coast Guard Toughbook computer donation and finalize coordination of the Coast Guard Port Asset Protection and Security Training to be held in Sibenik in November. -------------- 25 October, Met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Department Head for International Security to coordinate planning of their Industry Outreach Seminar scheduled for late November 2007, and to complete scheduling of the first stage of the joint UNDP and EXBS Twinning Project to run from 22 October to 02 November. -------------- 31 October, Conferred with UNDP Chief Technical Advisor for Small Arms Controls to discuss response and results following completion of the first phase of the joint UNDP/EXBS Export Control Licensing Technical Assistance Twinning Project. As a UNDP project, the EXBS Advisor was initially only approached for guidance and approval of the project and then to identify potential EU candidates with the skills to perform the project requirements. The EXBS proposal to utilize a former high ranking Estonian Foreign Affairs official with strong EU ties, known and approved by the Croatians, was summarily reviewed and approved by the UNDP. However, USG (EXBS) assistance was again required to supplement additional unplanned funding cost that exceeded the UNDP project budget. This final request formally assured EXBS input and influence into the project as a joint venture. The project plan, approved and supported by the GOC, required the specialist to be sequentially embedded within each Croatian Ministry to observe and evaluate their export control capacity. It was agreed that this initial 2 week phase of the project was successful. The first phase closing commission round-table discussion determined that the point had been successfully made and received that the EU and US were synonymous in their standards and expectations for effective export controls. This exposure helps to remove any lingering hesitancy to accept or withhold implementation of reform assistance arbitrarily interpreted as inapplicable or conflicting to EU candidacy requirements. As expected, the critique revealed the primary areas for improvement to be enforcement and verification capacity and completion of legislative revisions. This first phase was intended to assess the capacity of all stakeholders of the Croatian Export Control program and present their strengths, weakness and offer suggestions for improvement. The second phase, to be conducted from 19 - 30 November, will provide directed assistance to selected Ministries on methods to improve performance. -------------- 31 October, Met with the Assistant Director and staff of State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) to discuss training schedules and deliver two (2) laptop computer kit donations. The AD asserted the office's continued commitment to develop their capacity to present Commodity Identification Training (CIT) to Croatian Export Control stakeholders. They would like to plan instructor training for the spring in accordance with the availability of DOE NNSA representatives. SLOVAKIA -------------- 11 October, Met with the Ministry of Economy MOE) Department Head for Sensitive Goods Trading Management (Licensing) to discuss preparation for their Tracker upgrade and status of the Internal Control Program (ICP) project with the Chamber of Commerce. It was advised that they still had not received the software upgrade and the additional computer hardware necessary to add the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to the network and the additional server terminal to extend the network. It was related that the task order had been assigned and the items should be arriving soon. It was also agreed that the training requirement would be limited to expanding the network and training MFA. -------------- 12 October, Met with the Ministry of Finance, Customs Directorate with members of the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Commodity Identification Training (CIT) team to plan a delivery date for instructor training for designated Customs CIT trainers and delivery of a handheld metal ZAGREB 00001015 002 OF 002 analyzer provided by DOE. ¶2. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD Slovakia -------------- 17-20 October, the NNSA presented a CIT course to approximately 25 Customs officers in Bratislava that was well received. ¶3. EQUIPMENT DONATIONS Croatia -------------- 18 October, Presented 14 toughbook laptop computer kits and 400 Mustang Marine Survival Suits, donated by the US Coast Guard, to the Border Police. -------------- 31 October, Presented two (2) Panasonic laptop computer kits to the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) donated by Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP). BRADTKE