THE WORK OF THE OSCE PRESENCE IN ALBANIA

UNCLAS TIRANA 000413

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE AL
SUBJECT: THE WORK OF THE OSCE PRESENCE IN ALBANIA

REF: A) 07 State 44629 B) TIRANA 406 C) TIRANA 408


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The OSCE Presence in Albania (PIA) will present
its Programme Outline in Vienna on June 3, in preparation for
discussions of its 2009 budget. Post supports overall USG policy to
reduce expenditures of OSCE Balkan Missions in a desire to push for
greater OSCE presence further east (Ref A and previous). The work
performed in Albania by the PIA, however, is in keeping with U.S.
regional interests, including stability in Kosovo and the region.
The PIA is a force multiplier for the vital democratic reform
efforts still urgently needed in the run-up to Albania's NATO and
future EU memberships. Other missions -- bilateral or multilateral
-- are not able to provide the same support to Albania's fledgling
democratic institutions. The PIA is one of the most efficient
Balkan OSCE missions, as we understand it. With the Ambassador's
full endorsement, we urge Washington's careful evaluation of the
contributions made by this small and efficient Presence as
considerations of the PIA budget begin. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Post was pleased to meet with one of the USG
representatives on the recent OSCE Advisory Committee on Management
and Finance's annual trip to Tirana to evaluate the PIA, in order to
share our perspective on the Presence's work and activities here.
As one of the largest embassies here, we nonetheless rely heavily on
the PIA's excellent work, from reporting to program management. We
work closely with them, from the Ambassador to the international and
Albanian staff. The PIA was integral to improved conduct of the
February 2007 local elections, to ongoing progress in the civil
registry project, to democratization and civil society building
projects, and even to one of the few internationally supported waste
management efforts ongoing in Albania. The PIA coordinates its
activities in advance with us and in many instances with a larger
group of donors/bilateral missions.


3. (SBU) The OSCE is not a NATO member and the PIA was not part of
our own efforts, or those of the Albanian Government, to garner
support for Albania's April 2 NATO invitation. In the prelude to
the decision to offer that invitation, however, the role of PIA as
force multiplier was clear. Even with a five-officer
political-economic section, we are unable to visit Albania's further
regions on a regular basis or to cover the breadth of contacts
needed to understand Albania's Byzantine political decision making
process. We rely on the PIA to supplement our own contacts and
travels. Most missions, even the relatively large European
Commission, have at most one person who covers political affairs.
The concise, accurate information supplied by the Presence to member
states helped ensure that a more up-to-date picture of Albania's
progress (and lack thereof) was shared, including by NATO Ally
embassies. Post, on its own, would not have the same reach. We can
only imagine the extent to which our colleagues in much smaller
missions rely on OSCE staff.


4. (SBU) Especially under the leadership of new PIA Head Robert
Bosch, the PIA "gets it" with regard to efficiency. Over the last
four years, the Presence has utilized 100% of its budget to maximize
project delivery. We understand this to be a demonstration of
possibly exceptional efficiency among similar missions. The
Presence reduced operational costs in 2008. The ratio between
international and national staff is one of the lowest in the OSCE
system, based on information available to us. Reduced staffing
levels over the last years brought a reduction in staff costs.
Office and travel costs have been cut. We further understand that
the PIA is operating with one of the lowest ratios of vehicles to
professional staff in the system.


5. (SBU) PIA programs directly support USG goals in Albania and in
the region. By helping to improve GOA efficiency and to strengthen
democracy and civil society, PIA programs complement and supplement
our own, which have been subject to continuing SEED cuts. In
addition to funds administered from the OSCE Unified Budget, the PIA
manages extra budgetary contributions from participating states and
other international organizations, which trust the Presence's
efficient management. (These funds are currently worth some 4.5
million Euros.) The PIA partners with other donors to stretch its
own budget and get further impact for important programs. One
example is EC support to the OSCE-led civil registry system
modernization project. (See also Ref C.) Sometimes to the regret
of the larger community, but as with our own USG assistance, some
smaller programs with good objectives and results have been stopped
in order to achieve greater focus and efficiency. The PIA is a key
member of the Donor Technical Secretariat, which coordinates donor
community responses to the Government of Albania's assistance
requests to avoid duplication; the PIA chaired the group last year.


6. (SBU) As a result of efforts already undertaken to trim its
staff and increase its efficiency, across-the-board percentage cuts
to Balkan OSCE missions would hit the PIA very hard. The Presence
heeded calls, in particular from the USG, to focus and improve
efficiencies. It remains an integral part of the "democracy
building" team in Albania and in some cases provides programs no
other donor is willing or able to take on. (A small waste disposal
project is especially meaningful in this regard, in light of the
complete absence of interest by other donors in assisting Albania in
this field and the great need the country faces. See also Ref B.)


7. (SBU) Albania will soon be a NATO Ally, we expect, and in the
more distant future, it will probably succeed in joining the
European Union. But the country's democratic development is still
halting. It is not yet ready or able to graduate from international
assistance, and the leadership and guidance it receives from the PIA
is vital. PIA programs help Albania to continue to play the
important regional stabilizing role upon which the U.S. relies. We
recognize and support the need for greater efficiency, in our own
programs and in OSCE missions. We ask the Department to consider,
however, whether the PIA has not already met that demand. USG
priorities for Albania, and likely for the western Balkans, may be
achieved better with the continued level of support for the PIA than
without it.
WITHERS