EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TIRANA 000318 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER STATE FOR EUR/ACE USCBP INA FOR JGOUGE, PWARKER SECDEF FOR DTRA CDRAKE USDOE FOR TMUSTIN, EMELAMED, KGARNER VIENNA PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL SUBJECT: EXBS: ALBANIA MARITIME, ADRIATIC REGION REPORTING CABLE FOR MARCH 2008 ¶1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- 15 March: Gerdec munitions site detonation: Significant reporting via cable and news media. Following embassy brief, MA called the USCG training team in Vlore regarding initial (and subsequent) opinions indicating accidental (vice malicious) causal factors while explosions were ongoing. As a result of political pressure resulting from the devastation, the Minister of Defense resigned. The Director of the Civil Emergency Department is designated as the clean-up coordinator. ¶2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD -- March 07-18: MA approved absence. ¶3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD -- March 20: EXBS Maritime Office coordinated a meeting with the Director of the Radiation Protection Office, Customs Deputy General Director and the Director of the Centre of Applied Nuclear Physics (a.k.a. Nuclear Physics Institute) at the University of Tirana. Discussions focused on coordination, status, location and required actions to get any portal monitors currently in Albania to fully functional condition. Customs Directorate provided a list that included portal monitors throughout the country, none of which is currently operable. -- The Applied Nuclear Physics Institute (ANPI) leading Professor requested EXBS assistance with providing nuclear source materials suitable for testing and calibration activities for portal monitors (the activities they are responsible to perform). The sources ANPI currently have on hand are substantially stronger (more emissions/ more dangerous to handle) than preferred test and calibration samples (which are comparatively low emitters). The requested sources serve as effective calibration measurement tools in nonproliferation actions. ANPI requested sample sources of: [Am-241: (60 Energy/keV) (3-5 Activity, MBq)] [Co-57 : (122, 136 Energy/keV) (3-5 Activity/MBq)] [Cs-137: (662 Energy/keV) (3-5 Activity/MBq)] [Co-60 : (1173, 1333 Energy/keV) ( 3-5 Activity/MBq)] [Ba-133: (31,356 Energy/keV) (3-5 Activity/MBq)] [Cf-252: neutron, 0.11 Activity/MBq - corresponding to 12,000 n/s] The level of mechanical/technical familiarity at ANPI with each make and model portal monitor has not been confirmed. ¶4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD -- March 17-22: USCG Maritime Law Enforcement Instructor Training and Joint Maritime Law Enforcement Boarding Course at Naval Department training center in Vlore. The original schedule was adjusted due to the five ship NATO visit in Durres 01-05 March. -- March 24-28: The CBP Cross Border Exercise for Macedonia, Albania and Greece will focus on the Kafasan (Macedonia)/Qafe Thana (Albania) area BCP's. ¶5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD -- USCG Mobile Training Team delivered redundant, entry level personal equipment to support basic law enforcement training at the Naval Department facility in Vlore. ¶6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT: ALBANIA: -- Operational and communications equipment grant for Customs Maritime anti-contraband units; delivery anticipated upon delivery TIRANA 00000318 002 OF 003 of eight additional NVG sets. -- April 21-25: DTRA International Counterproliferation Program Advanced Training Course, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - invitations include Croatia, Macedonia and Albania. -- May 8-18: USCG Incident Command System training for Inter-Ministerial Maritime Operations Center members, Durres. -- May 14-16: Capstone in Albania. MA engaged DAO regarding possible site visit to ICS training. -- May 10-18: International Visitor Leadership Program - participants scheduled travel. Cities include Washington DC, Hampton Roads, New York, Seattle, Jacksonville and Charleston. Participants represent Ministry of Defense/ Naval forces, Ministry of Public Works Telecommunication and Transportation/Maritime Policy Department, Ministry of Interior/Maritime Border Police and Albanian State Police. The trip focuses on diverse port operations and interagency cooperation through observation, demonstration and briefings. The IVLP is fully funded by the State Department and provided at no cost to participants or host government. -- May 15-16: Trans-border Law Enforcement Cooperation Against Weapons Smuggling in Florina, Greece. Representatives from Albania, Macedonia and Greece are expected to participate. The U.S. Consulate General in Thessaloniki, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative (SECI) are organizing this seminar with the support of the South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms & Light Weapons (SEESAC),the European Union Border Monitoring Assistance Mission (EUBAM) and the City of Florina. EXBS Maritime office coordinated Albanian response and participation for Embassy Tirana with RSO, OPDAT, and ICITAP nominees. -- May 19-23: DOE CIT and End Use-End User Training, Tirana -- May 30: Maritime Advisor tour complete. -- June 2-6: CBP Targeting and Risk Management Training, Tirana and BCP's TBD. -- July 14-18: DTRA Targeting and Risk Management Training, Tirana -- Summer 2008: Anticipated delivery of the first DAMEN 42-meter patrol boat to Albanian Naval Forces. -- September 8-19: CBP Inspection/Detection Equipment Training, BCP's TBD -- September 11-28: USCG Seaport Security and Anti-terrorism course focused on newly hired Albanian Port Security Forces personnel in Durres. -- October 20-24: CBP International Border Interdiction II, Tirana and BCP's TBD -- November TBD: CBP International Seaport Interdiction Training, Durres, focused on Customs, Border police/MoI, Naval Forces and IMOC participant agencies. Schedule shifted to accommodate USCG MTT in September. -- FY 2009 TBD: USCG Coastal Search and Rescue, Advanced Boarding Officer Course (coordinated using Albanian Naval officer instructors),Patrol Boat Engineering, Damage Control and Maintenance (tailored to 42 meter vessels). -- January 2009: CBP Undercover Ops, Controlled Delivery Training SERBIA: TIRANA 00000318 003 OF 003 -- July 10-27: USCG Basic Small Boat Operations Course MONTENEGREO: -- EXBS Maritime Office currently facilitating TDY legal advisor for maritime Safety and security regulation development and consultation. -- September 4-13: USCG Maritime Law Enforcement Boarding Officer Course BOSNIA: -- June TBD: Undercover Operations, Controlled Delivery Training ¶7. (SBU) SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY -- The Albanian moratorium on speedboats along the coastline is expected to expire in December 2008. Prudent action to anticipate dramatic increase in recreational boating would improve and develop small boat coastal response capacities. ¶8. (U) PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS -- None. ¶9. (U) RED FLAG ISSUES -- None. ¶10. (U) POC: LCDR Timothy Conroy, email: conroyTC@state.gov, and Xhoana Kovaci, email: kovaciX@state.gov. CRISTINA