EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR OCTOBER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000888 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER STATE FOR EUR/ACE USCBP INA FOR BPICKETT, MIRIZARRY 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 ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR OCTOBER 2008 ¶1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- November 19: Prime Minister Sali Berisha issued a statement indicating that the Council of Ministers approved the list of military items and dual use goods and technologies subject to state control and tasked the State Export Control Authority with controlling the import and export of the items on this list. ¶2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD See paragraphs 4 and 5 below discussing equipment and training. ¶3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD -- October 3: Maritime Advisor and Program Assistant met with USCG training team and conducted opening ceremony for the EXBS funded USCG Coastal Search and Rescue Course at the Port of Vlore. -- October 6: Maritime Advisor met with Richard Bone, Advisor for Donor Coordination, Police Assistance Mission of the European Community to Albania III (PAMECA),to discuss areas for coordination and information sharing. PAMECA is hiring subject matter experts to serve as green and blue border advisors for PAMECA. These advisors are scheduled to report in early December 2008. -- October 7: Maritime Advisor participated in the graduation ceremony for the USCG Coastal Search and Rescue Course and met with Captain Artur Megollari, Navy Flotilla Commander at Pashaliman, Vlore for an introductory meeting and to discuss equipment and training issues. -- October 10: Maritime Advisor met with the General Director of the Port of Vlore, Mr. Kreshnik Alimerko, for an introductory meeting and tour of port facilities. -- October 10: Maritime Advisor visited construction site of what will become the Port of Triport, a port dedicated to the shipping of liquefied petroleum gas and oil products. An Italian firm, PIR Group, through its subsidiary company, La Petrolifera Italo Albanese (PIA),obtained the concession to build and operate the port. -- October 12: Maritime Advisor visited the Port of Shengjin and conducted an introductory meeting with Mr. Zef Gjoka, General Director of the port. -- October 14: Maritime Advisor met with the General Director of the Port of Durres, Mr. Eduard Ndreu, and the Director of Port Security Forces, Mr. Oliver Hoxha, for an introductory meeting. -- October 26: Maritime Advisor met with the Customs Director at the Port of Durres, Mr. Arben Ibroja, for an introductory meeting. ¶4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD -- November 3-7: USCG Coastal Search and Rescue Course conducted at the Naval Academy in Vlore. Participants from the Navy, and Shengjin, Vlora and Saranda Harbor Master and Shengjin, Durres and Vlora Border Police attended. -- November 10-21: The following five Albanian representatives attended the Export Control Academy at the University of Georgia's Center for International Trade and Security (CITS): Mr. Erald Dervishi, Head of State Control Agency on Exports, Ministry of Defense; Mr. Ermal Harizaj, Legal Directorate, Licensing and Inter Institutional Agreements, Ministry of Defense; Mr. Ramis Lleshi, Business Promotion Agency, Ministry of Economy; Mr. Ilir Kodra, Trade Policy Directorate, Ministry of Economy; and Mr. Dashnor Ibra, Legal Affairs and Treaties Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. TIRANA 00000888 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD -- None. ¶6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT: ALBANIA: -- December 1-12: NucTech X-Ray Scanner Training conducted by SGS at the Port of Durres. -- December 16-18: Best Practice Exchange between the Albanian and Romanian Export Control Agencies in Bucharest, Romania. -- January 19-23: Strategic Export Investigations Course conducted by DHS/ICE. -- February 16-20: Equipment Training conducted by Larry Adkins at three locations in Albania. ¶7. (SBU) SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY -- None known. ¶8. (U) PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS -- None. ¶9. (U) RED FLAG ISSUES -- None. ¶10. (U) POC: LT Cari Bower, email: bowerc@state.gov.