Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TIRANA145
2009-03-04 10:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:  

EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR JANUARY

Tags:  ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AL 
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VZCZCXRO8984
RR RUEHPOD
DE RUEHTI #0145/01 0631048
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041048Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7930
INFO RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 4542
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0027
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 3288
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0093
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0746
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 2986
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUWDQAC/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/USCBP WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000145 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER
STATE FOR EUR/ACE
USCBP INA FOR BSUBER
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 JANUARY
2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000145

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER
STATE FOR EUR/ACE
USCBP INA FOR BSUBER
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 JANUARY
2009


1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS

-- None known.


2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD

See paragraphs 4 and 5 below discussing equipment and training.


3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD

-- January 13: Maritime Advisor met with Mr. Rustim Paci, Head of
the Radiation Protection Office, and Mr. Nasar Balaj and Mr. Ismajl
Rudari from the Kosovo Ministry of Environment during a best
practice exchange between the two agencies. We discussed the roles
and responsibilities of each agency and Mr. Paci indicated the need
for clearer laws to identify roles and responsibilities for the
control and response to radioactive materials. The Kosovars have the
same issue and during the best practice visit, the two agencies
discovered some of these inconsistencies in Kosovo's draft Radiation
Protection law. Both agencies were appreciative of the opportunity
to collaborate with one another and wish to continue that
collaboration in the future.

-- January 21: Maritime Advisor met with Mr. Erald Dervishi,
Chairman of the State Export Control Agency (AKSHE) to discuss
implementing a licensing database for exporters of dual use and
controlled items. We discussed with Mr. Dervishi, EXBS's commitment
to provide a Tracker demonstration and assessment, which would
enable AKSHE to determine if this system will meet its needs and
determine equipment needs for installation of the Tracker system.
Mr. Dervishi requested the Tracker demonstration, to be conducted in
early February. If AKSHE decides to implement Tracker, EXBS will
fund this operation. We also discussed the EXBS-funded best practice
exchange between AKSHE and the export control agency in Romania
(ANCEX) conducted in December 2008. Mr. Dervishi indicated that the
exchange was very useful given the many similarities between the
Romanian and Albanian systems and there were many areas where they

could assimilate the work of ANCEX for AKSHE. A final topic was the
Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control Risk Report and AKSHE's
interest in having a demonstration on using the database. Mr.
Dervishi requested the demonstration, which will be scheduled in
March.

--January 29: Maritime Advisor visited the Port of Saranda and met
with the Port Director, Mr. Tafil Kola, the Port Security Forces
Director, Mr. Shkelqim Selmani, the Port Security Forces Deputy
Director, Mr. Pellumb Saraci, and the Director of Border Police, Mr.
Selman Shabani. Discussed with the Port Director plans to build a
new pier and refurbish a separate port area for cargo ships so that
the current port area will be used solely for passengers. The port
is in the final stages of completing its perimeter fencing and
expects construction of its new front gate guard house to be
completed by March 2009. The Port Security Forces conduct regular
in-house training on security awareness and include Customs and
Border Police officers in the training; however, they need a laptop
and projector to conduct these trainings as they are currently using
borrowed equipment. Discussed with Mr. Shabani drug seizures and
passenger traffic flows, which he expects to increase significantly
in 2009. Mr. Shabani expressed an urgent need for an x-ray scanner
for passenger baggage. Border Police officers search bags by hand
but there is limited screening area for passengers so when passenger
traffic starts getting congested, they stop searching bags and waive
people through. The Border Police's boat resources are limited and
deteriorated. All officers working in the port need hand-held radios
and RAD pagers, a full equipment needs list will be submitted
sepcor.


4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD

-- January 12-14: Best practice exchange between the Radiation
Protection Office and the Kosovo Ministry of Environment. Two

TIRANA 00000145 002 OF 002


officials from the Kosovo Ministry of Environment, Mr. Nasar Balaj
and Mr. Ismajl Rudari, travelled to Tirana to discuss experiences in
radiation and nuclear security with the Radiation Protection Office.
The two agencies compared their legislation and regulatory framework
and identified areas in the law that require clarification in terms
of roles and responsibilities. The two agencies also met with Mr.
Nikolla Civici and Mr. Konstandin Dollari from the Center for
Applied Nuclear Physics and discussed the Center's work and
equipment for managing a radiological incident.

-- January 19-23: Strategic Export Investigations Course conducted
by DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The
course covered techniques used to conduct overt and covert
investigation as they relate to the sale, purchase and export of
controlled technologies. Participants from the following agencies
participated in the course: Prosecutor's Office, State Intelligence
Service, State Export Control Agency, State Police, Border Police
and Customs.

-- January 27-29: Best practice exchange between Customs Officers
from the Port of Durres and Customs Officers from Kosovo on use of
the NucTech Mobile X-Ray Scanner. Both agencies are operating these
scanners, donated by the Chinese government. The exchange focused
on targeting, examination and discrepancies, challenges and lessons
learned in operating the scanner.


5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD

--None.


6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT:

ALBANIA:

--February 2-3: Tracker Assessment for State Export Control Agency.

-- February 16-20: Equipment Training conducted by Larry Adkins at
three locations in Albania.

-- March 2-6: WMD Crisis Incident Management Course by Defense
Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

--March 16-20: International Seaport Interdiction Training-II by
DHS/CBP.

--March 25-26: Wisconsin Project Risk Report Demonstration.

-- As part of LATA Task Order 112, two desk top computers, two
Laptop computers and three printers were delivered to US Embassy
Tirana in late December and will be donated to Albanian Customs and
Border Police pending grant paperwork processing.

-- As part of LATA Task Order 113, forty mini Rad-D Gamma Radiation
Pagers arrived in Albania and will be donated to Border Police,
Customs and Port Security Forces officials.



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.