Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PRISTINA461
2009-10-21 05:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Pristina
Cable title:
KOSOVO: GOK SET TO REMOVE USG-PROVIDED BORDER
how-toVZCZCXRO1216 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHPS #0461/01 2940552 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 210552Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY PRISTINA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9360 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1228 RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1752 RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUZEJAA/USNIC PRISTINA SR
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.
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
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