SCENESETTER FOR GAZMOND OKETA, ALBANIA'S DEFENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000388 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR NATO AL SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR GAZMOND OKETA, ALBANIA'S DEFENSE MINISTER REF: A) TIRANA 222 B) TIRANA 211 C) 07 TIRANA 744 Classified By: DCM STEPHEN A. CRISTINA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Minister of Defense Gazmond Oketa visits Washington May 21-23 for his first official visit as Defense Minister. Oketa is eager to fulfill all military requirements necessary for his country to enter NATO next year, and he would be receptive to any suggestions of what should be his priorities. We also should convey U.S. appreciation for GOA contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan and support for the efforts Oketa is undertaking to continue to modernize and streamline the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and especially to diminish the country's vast stockpile of obsolete weapons. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The March 15 explosion at the Gerdec ammunition demilitarization site has had far reaching consequences which continue to unfold. At least 26 people died at the site, where operations may have been conducted contrary to Albanian safety, environmental and labor laws. The Prosecutor General (PG) is leading an investigation into the events leading up to the Gerdec explosion to determine what charges, if any, may pertain. The short term political fallout included the resignation of the former Defense Minister and a request by the PG to lift his immunity to permit further investigation; the dismissal of several others, including two of Albania's most senior generals, in the MOD; and the arrest of the head of state-owned arms company MEICO and the head of the Albanian company involved in the demilitarization at the site. Legal action may still be taken against others involved. The tragedy moved the elimination of the country's vast communist-era weapons stockpile (Ref B) to the forefront, but sensitive issues remain regarding how to accomplish this safely and efficiently. ¶3. (SBU) Our past experience with Minister Oketa has been positive and constructive. In his previous position as Deputy Prime Minister, he worked closely with us on the Millennium Challenge Account and was the person we turned to when we needed to remove obstacles or cut through the Albanian bureaucracy. (Ref A) ¶4. (C) While Oketa has no previous experience with military issues, he has been conscientious in learning the substance of the job and is struggling to master the Byzantine politics of the MOD. In so doing, he has taken what many would consider the right approach. He has not circumvented the General Staff and other long-serving senior Ministry officials; he has rather sought their expert advice on military issues and their opinion on policy questions. He has, however, also asked for advice from the U.S. military to ensure that the advice he received from his own generals was based on sound facts and experience. When they balked -- as did Brigadier General Bahja, Support Command commander, and Major General Spahiu, Joint Force Command commander -- with ridding Albania of its aging MANPADS, he has pushed forward resolutely. In the end, Bahja and Spahiu were removed; Oketa is preparing to sign the order to go forward with MANPADS. Oketa appears to be less motivated by personal interest than many in the GOA, focusing intently on doing things correctly at this critical juncture. Because of this, he can appear hesitant at times, but we believe that as he becomes more secure in his new position his decisiveness will return. In fact, Oketa could be just what the Ministry needs to resolve long-standing problems in sorting out the proper role for the civilian leadership and the military command (Ref C). ¶5. (C) Oketa seeks U.S. opinion and is receptive to U.S. interests. We want to encourage him and support his current efforts, but we can be clear that we will continue to press him for quick decisions on crucial issues as they arise, as our conversations with him on Gerdec clean-up, MANPADS disposal, and 82mm mortars demilitarization have demonstrated. We encourage his Washington interlocutors to use this as a chance to reassure him, bolster Oketa in his new position, and use this opportunity to help another of Albania's "new faces" choose the right way forward in this key position. ¶6. (SBU) As a young (39),clean-cut, self-effacing leader, Oketa is precisely the face of the "new Albania" that people should see to dispel outdated impressions of this country. Oketa is the kind of person we suspect Congress would find impressive, as Washington turns its focus toward potential TIRANA 00000388 002 OF 002 ratification of Albania's NATO accession. WITHERS