EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR APRIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TIRANA 000326 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 APRIL 2009 ¶1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- Albania and Croatia became members of NATO on 4 April 2009. ¶2. (U) COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD See paragraphs 4 and 5 below discussing equipment and training. ¶3. (SBU) MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD ALBANIA --April 8: Maritime Advisor met with the Chairman of the State Export Control Agency, Mr. Erald Dervishi, to discuss equipment requirements for installing Tracker and topics for the next Tracker planning session scheduled for April 25, 2009. An equipment list was agreed on and sent to ISN/ECC for procurement. Mr. Dervishi also requested assistance with holding an industry outreach seminar in mid-June or early July. The first industry outreach seminar is scheduled for May 8 with the assistance of the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). The State Export Control Agency anticipates issuing its first license on June 1, 2009. --April 16: Maritime Advisor met with the Police Assistance Mission of the European Community to Albania (PAMECA) Blue Border Advisor to discuss a potential best practices visit to the U.S. or an EU country on interagency maritime operations and the potential participants. During this meeting, MA learned that the Customs Director General, Perparim Dervishi, had been removed from his position on April 15. His replacement is Mr. Endri Pema. --April 20: Maritime Advisor met with representatives from Commonwealth Trading Partners in advance of the Export Regulatory Foundations Workshop to discuss status of the State Export Control Agency's export control work and preparations for the Tracker planning session on April 25. --April 22: Maritime Advisor participated in a visit of the Desk Officers from Command Naval Forces Europe and NATO Joint Forces Command. Meetings were held with the Ministry of Defense Modernization Staff Chief, Colonel Bala; CNO of the Navy, Captain Gerveni; Commander of the Naval Academy in Vlora; Commander Ferdinant Kreshpani and Commander of Southern Flotilla, Captain Megollari. The purpose of the visit was to discuss training and equipment needs and NATO's focus on U.S.-Albania bilateral relationships. The lack of nautical charts for the coast of Albania was raised and the Desk Officers recommended partnering with Montenegro as Montenegro has a hydrographic ship. Colonel Bala discussed GOA participation in NATO's Active Endeavor operation, the need for information on effective information sharing with neighboring countries, the need for disaster response capabilities, the need to modernize the Navy and their plan to have some fifty-five meter boats within 6-10 years time. Captain Gerveni discussed the possibility that the USCG may be donating two used island class patrol boats to the GOA, his interest in having Albanian officers serve on other countries' naval ships especially now that they are members of NATO, that they will be participating in a live exercise with neighboring countries and the need for a hydrographic survey to be done of the coast. --April 28: Maritime Advisor attended the Plenary Meeting of the International Consortium. The theme for the meeting was "Successful Law Enforcement through Cooperation". The meeting was opened by the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, the Ambassador to the European Commission, the OSCE Ambassador, Minister of Interior Bujar Nishani and Minister of Justice Enkelejd Alibeaj. Presentations were given by the Albanian State Police, the Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination, and the various International Consortium working groups. --April 29: Maritime Advisor met with Director of Border Police and TIRANA 00000326 002 OF 003 Migration, Mr. Pellumb Nako, to discuss arrangements for a donation ceremony to be held at Albanian State Police Headquarters on May 5. Mr. Nako asked if EXBS could fund thermal imaging cameras for his officers and mentioned that they had recently had three narcotics seizures; two at sea and one on Lake Shkoder and these activities had taken place at night. Mr. Nako also asked if EXBS could fund air conditioning units for his officers at the various border crossing points. In a recent development, the MOD has agreed to allow Border Police access to the sea surveillance radar system. A feed will be run into Albanian State Police Headquarters, where the GOA is building a communications center to integrate radar information, maritime operations and information from the Total Information Management (TIMS) system. Border Police also recently completed the construction of two classrooms in the Port of Durres for training and has a 400,000 Euro GOA-funded project for building two classrooms in Vlora. Maritime Advisor suggested that Border Police partner with the Naval Academy in this endeavor as it may prove more cost effective and improve coordinated training and operations. Mr. Nako requested training on targeting people for searches, navigation training and requested navigation equipment for Border Police boats as watch standers and boat handlers are having problems communicating coordinates properly. ¶4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD --April 21-24: Commonwealth Trading Partners provided an Export Control Regulations Foundation Workshop. The workshop introduced the key elements of an effective export control system, allowing participants to consider issues of local concern and build on Albania's recently enacted export control law. Twenty-two representatives from the Albanian State Export Control Agency, Ministry of Finance - Customs, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Union of Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Economy Trade and Energy attended the training. --April 25: A second Tracker planning session was conducted by a representative from Commonwealth Trading Partners and representatives from the State Export Control Agency. Topics discussed include limiting the number of authorized border points and issues related to Customs training, work flow, collection of output documents, identification of printing requirements, review of reporting requirements, collection of input documents, support for translation of the Tracker property files, importing electronic data into Tracker, storing classified materials, network security, and information exchange with neighboring countries and with EU partners. ¶5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD --April 16: Four 30" ring buoy and two 90' Ring Buoy Rope with Bags were delivered. The value of this equipment $1,188 and is part of LATA Task Order 112. ¶6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT: ALBANIA: --May 4-8: International Border Interdiction Training will be conducted at the southern land border crossing of Kakavija. The training will be provided by instructors from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs and Border Police officers will participate in the training. --May 19-20: A third Tracker planning session will take place in Tirana with representatives from Commonwealth Trading Partners and the State Export Control Agency. --May 27-28: EXBS will fund the participation of a senior licensing officer and systems administrator from the State Export Control Agency to attend the Tracker Best Practice Conference in Warsaw, TIRANA 00000326 003 OF 003 Poland. --June 25-27: EXBS will fund two representatives from the State Export Control Agency and one representative from Customs to attend the 10th International Export Control Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. -- As part of LATA Task Order 112, twelve Gator Hawk Body Armor Vests and twenty-eight handcuffs arrived in Albania on February 20, ¶2009. The equipment is worth $15,087 and will be donated to Customs Border Police officials in May 2009. -- As part of LATA Task Order 113, ten Campbell Security Model CT-30-10-2.0 Contraband Kits and forty radiation detection pagers arrived in Tirana on February 27, 2009. This equipment will be donated to Customs and Border Police officials in May 2009. --One laptop and one projector will be donated to the Port Security Forces at the Port of Saranda in May 2009 for use in conducting their training program. --Maritime equipment from the U.S. Coast Guard will be arriving in Tirana during the month of June for donation to Coast Guard, Border Police Maritime Units and Customs Maritime Anti-Contraband Units. ¶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. 1