GOA Acknowledges Risks to Inhabitants within 800 Meter

UNCLAS TIRANA 000404

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: MASS NATO AL
SUBJECT: GOA Acknowledges Risks to Inhabitants within 800 Meter
Radius of Gerdec Explosion Site.


1. (SBU) Prime Minister Berisha responded May 27 to Charge
Cristina's May 2 letter in which the Charge asked the PM to warn
area residents and other citizens of explosive and environmental
dangers in an area up to 800 meters from the blast zone. Berisha
stated that the GOA will actively inform citizens of the risks
involved in moving back into this area. Shortly after arrival of
the letter, the PM called the Ambassador and said that the Albanian
State Police will also establish a presence in the area. Defense
Minister Oketa took full responsibility of the smaller Security
Exclusion Zone surrounding the core of the blast area when he signed
the Gerdec Addendum to the existing Technical Arrangement for Small
Arms Destruction on May 2. PM's letter acknowledging GOA
responsibility for the area immediately outside the Security
Exclusion Zone finally clears the way for the U.S. demilitarization
contractor to begin clearing unexploded ordnance from the site.


2. (SBU) Begin text.

Dear Mr. Cristina,

I thank you for your letter of May 2, 2008, and for the excellent
commitment and cooperation you are offering for the project of the
clean-up from dangerous remains of the explosion area in Gerdec.

I avail myself of the opportunity to thank the United States, their
President and Government, the U.S. Congress and U.S. Embassy Tirana
for the considerable help that the United States has given and
continues to give to Albania in her efforts to eliminate old
ammunition inherited from the communist regime period.

Using the occasion, I would like to ensure you that the Albanian
Government is conscious of the dangers that continue to exist for
the people's lives or their property at the zone around the damaged
territory. For this reason:

The zone of 300 meters from the explosion crater, within which will
work the firms contracted from the U.S.A., is considered Closed
Territory for Security Reasons, and the Ministry of Defense will
take measures for the security of this zone, and for not allowing
unauthorized persons to infiltrate it.

The Albanian Government is also conscious of the dangers that
continue to exist for people's lives or their properties due to
unexploded remains that might be situated around the damaged
territory up to a 800-meter radius from the explosion crater, and
(GoA) will take measures, including placing warning signs for
informing the public within and outside this territory, so that the
inhabitants or owners of the surfaces within it be informed for the
dangers of living in this zone, up to the time when it gets
certified as secure by international experts.

The Albanian Government is conscious of the responsibility for
ensuring people's lives and their property in this territory, and
will not in any occasion place the responsibility on the Government
of the U.S.A., or on any of the contracted firms for the clean-up of
this territory, in the case of the damaging of an individual or
property in this territory.

By ensuring you once more that the Albanian Government will take the
indispensable measures to guarantee the needed safeguard and control
of this territory up to the moment that it will be considered not
dangerous by experts of the field, I thank you for the attention
that you are paying to the progress of this extremely important
project,

I avail myself of the opportunity to reaffirm the assurances of my
highest consideration.

Yours,
Sali Berisha

End text.

WITHERS