ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - OCTOBER 10, 2008

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000713 SIPDIS FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA OSD FOR POPOVICH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV HR SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - OCTOBER 10, 2008 ¶1. (U) CROATIA: AMERICAN EXPERT ON FINANCIAL CRIMES IS AN ASSET TO CROATIAN PROSECTORS: As part of IIP's Strategic Speaker Initiative, Judith Kozlowski, Chief Counsel at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA),spent three days meeting with Croatian prosecutors, police, judges, the media and representatives of both the Market Security Agency and the Office of Money Laundering. The response from judges and prosecutors was particularly positive including an invitation to return for the annual conference of prosecutors. Her visit not only helped the Croatians learn more about U.S. approaches to financial crime, but also provided us with greater insight into relations among the different agencies and developed relations with key players that will help our efforts to engage on organized crime and money laundering issues. (RPost) ¶2. (U) EMBASSY-SPONSORED DVC HELPS JUDGES MANAGE COURTROOM-MEDIA RELATIONS: Embassy Zagreb sponsored a digital video conference (DVC) on courtroom-media relations for 30 judges and state prosecutors in Vukovar, a city struggling to overcome the effects of the war. Ambassador Bradtke welcomed participants and engaged in the discussion. The Embassy has worked closely with judges through post's war crimes project, donating a video conference system to the court to facilitate remote testimony and witness protection. The judges have been at the forefront of reconciliation, minority employment, and unbiased prosecution of crimes in Vukovar. The DVC featured Judge Murray Richtel, an accomplished judge, university professor, and attorney with considerable experience in media relations. Judge Richtel discussed practical ways to maintain the difficult balance of ensuring freedom of expression and providing a fair trial. This DVC was the third in a series the Embassy has sponsored for the judges. In the previous conferences, a U.S. marshall gave a presentation on witness protection and support and Dr. Kellerman from Harvard's Kennedy School discussed leadership. (KWetzel) ¶3. (U) REGIONAL ECON AND COMMERCIAL STAFF LEARN TRADECRAFT AND STRIVE TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION: On October 6-7, Embassy Zagreb hosted a Commercial Service-State Department Joint Partnership Training Program. Commercial and economic officers and specialists from Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia attended. Participants received training on commercial diplomacy and Commercial Service products with the aim of strengthening State-Commerce cooperation in the region. Senior commercial officers and commercial specialists from the region as well as two trainers from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Professional Development conducted sessions. Attendees also participated in a networking session with over 40 representatives from U.S. firms that wished to expand throughout the region. (PWard) ¶4. (U) USCG TEAM FINDS CROATIAN PORTS IN COMPLIANCE AND CROATIAN COAST GUARD TAKING SHAPE: From September 29 to October 2, two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) international port security liaison officers visited Croatia to meet port facility officials and learn how they are implementing the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS). On a visit to Ploce, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka last December, a USCG team found that Croatia had substantially implemented the ISPS Code. On last week's visit to public and private ports in Pula, Opatija, Rijeka and Split, the officers again found the facilities were substantially implementing the code. On October 2, Captain John Koster joined the liaison officers and post's naval attache and economic officer for a courtesy visit to the Croatian Coast Guard commander, Vice Admiral Zdravko Kardum. Captain Koster congratulated VADM Kardum on the formation of the Croatian Coast Guard and discussed potential areas for future assistance and cooperation. (SLitke) ¶5. (U) EMBASSY SPONSORS UNIVERSITY FUNDRAISING CONFERENCE: In conjunction with the University of Georgia, Embassy Zagreb sponsored a conference for universities on fundraising. Using case studies and small group analysis, educators from the U of GA's Institute of Higher Education (IHE) shared their knowledge of fundraising with over 30 deans and rectors from Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albania, and Serbia. In an era of shrinking state resources, the university leaders greatly appreciated the practical information they gained on the basics of fundraising, from establishing foundations to identifying and working with prospective donors. This conference is the latest in a series the Embassy has sponsored with the U of GA to promote higher education in ZAGREB 00000713 002 OF 002 Croatia. Previous conferences have focused on ethics, student services, quality assurance, financial control, and university management. (KWetzel) ¶6. (U) REGIONAL SUPPORT MILESTONE: Embassy Zagreb and Podgorica finished their first year of financial management cooperation, and effective October 1, 2008, we have added financial management for Podgorica ICASS as well. HR support to Montenegro enters its third year and all of Podgorica's ICASS employees were successfully transferred from AID to the State Department. Authority for certifying and cashiering also transferred from AID to State. This transition was facilitated by AID Belgrade's handover of management responsibility to the new State management officer in Podgorica, Deb Taylor, and by extensive end-of-year exchange visits between the three posts. (TFavret) ¶7. (U) EMBASSY STAFF WALK FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS ON PINK RIBBON DAY: Fifteen people from the Embassy community, including Ambassador Bradtke and his wife, joined Mayor Bandic, Deputy Prime Minister Kosor and approximately 300 other supporters on Pink Ribbon Day, an awareness-raising event organized by the Croatian NGO Europa Donna on October 4. Before participants walked through downtown Zagreb, Europa Donna President Nada Kraljevic and others spoke about the importance of women's taking advantage of breast cancer screening. DPM Kosor spoke about the government's National Program for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer, which sends a mammogram appointment card every other year to women age 50 to 69. Although the program has raised the number of women getting mammograms, Kosor noted that about half of the women who receive the cards do not go to the appointment. (SLitke) Walker