KOSOVO: GOK SET TO REMOVE USG-PROVIDED BORDER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000461 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PGI, INL/AAE, DRL, PRM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINR ASEC ELTN PTER SMIG PBTS PGOV PREL KCRM KV SUBJECT: KOSOVO: GOK SET TO REMOVE USG-PROVIDED BORDER CONTROL/COUNTER TERRORISM IT SYSTEM PRISTINA 00000461 001.16 OF 002 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) This is an action message. Please see paragraph five. ¶2. (SBU) The USG-developed product PISCES (Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System),Kosovo's current border control system which is installed in all but two of Kosovo's border crossing points (BCP),could be removed in early 2010. A European Commission project, part of the EC's Integrated Border Management program, will replace PISCES with a Schengen-compliant system written and installed by local software company ProNet, which won an international tender in December 2008. (Note: The tender explicitly calls for the removal of PISCES, which can also be made Schengen-compliant, once the EU system is up and running. End Note) According to ProNet representatives, who are working with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOIA),their completion deadline is December 31, 2009. ProNet is currently beginning system tests. ¶3. (SBU) Minister of Internal Affairs Zenun Pajaziti seemed surprised a couple weeks ago when we told him PISCES was scheduled for removal and claimed he wanted PISCES to remain. He told us that he and his team had been unaware of the EC requirement to remove PISCES when they agreed to accept the EC's Integrated Border Management assistance. In an October 16 letter to the Embassy, the Minister advised that the GOK wanted PISCES to remain and run in parallel with the EC system (please see text in paragraph 6). The Minister's letter was not copied to the EC, but he told us that he planned to write the EC and request that PISCES continue to operate alongside the new EU system. ¶4. (SBU) While welcome, the Minister's proposal to maintain PISCES in parallel with the new EU system is not without problems. To begin with, the EU may well object (once the Minister advises the EU of his proposal),since the original EC tender clearly called for PISCES removal. Second, running two independent systems in parallel at each BCP is could be problematic and would require border police (BP) to enter the same data twice, which would, among other things, increase processing time at the border. We are told that designing and implementing a technical fix that would allow the BP to enter data once and feed it into both systems simultaneously requires potentially costly changes to both systems. In addition, maintenance and support costs for maintaining both systems could be prohibitive for the cash-strapped Border Police. ¶5. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: The installation of PISCES at Kosovo BCPs was an important success in our bilateral efforts to improve the capacity of Kosovo's rule of law institutions. PISCES's installation was also important to our regional counter terrorism efforts. The MOIA's decision to transition from PISCES to an EC-designed and Schengen compliant system in early 2010 raises the question of whether, and if so, how we should push to retain PISCES. There is time before the transition to address the problem, if we are prepared to take on the political, technical and financial aspects associated with it. If we do nothing, PISCES may remain physically installed, but probably will be pushed into a corner and not be functional. If we want to keep PISCES, Washington's information technology experts will have to consult with ProNet (and the EC) soon to determine what needs to be done and what the one-time and on-going costs might be. ¶6. (SBU) Text of October 16 letter from Minister Pajaziti to Ambassador Dell: Begin text. Excellency, On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and personally myself I would like to thank you for our mutual co-operation and all the support that your Government have provided to us on our way of establishing the independent and democratic state of the Republic of Kosovo. In particular I would like to express our appreciation for PRISTINA 00000461 002.8 OF 002 all assistance that has been offered to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in pursuing its challenging tasks. Referring to Memorandum of Intent between the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and the Government of the United States of America regarding the Terrorist Interdiction Program border control system known as Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES) of the 17th of June 2009, after consultation with operational level at the Kosovo Police, I would like to re-affirm the strong commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo in extending our cooperation related to PISCES at the maximum level possible as per sections stipulated within the Memorandum. I would also like to inform you that PISCES will function in parallel, but not replaced by the EU SIS system, as we consider that PISCES as such would greatly benefit to Kosovo in strengthening the effectiveness of border control and increase capacities of our police to operate such a system. Lastly, once again let me thank you and your Government for continues (sic) support and I look forward to continue our excellent cooperation in the future. Sincerely yours, /s/ Zenun Pajaziti Minister of Internal Affairs End text. DELL