EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR MAY 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TIRANA 000429 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER STATE FOR EUR/ACE USCBP INA FOR BSUBER SECDEF FOR DTRA MMYERS 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 MAY 2009 ¶1. (U) BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS -- Albania and Croatia became members of NATO on 4 April 2009. -- Albanian Defense Minister Gazmend Oketa visited the Norfolk base for a ceremony to raise the Albanian flag after Albania's NATO membership at the Strasbourg/Kiel Summit. He also met with Defense Secretary Gates where he thanked the U.S. for being the leading supporter of Albania in its efforts to dismantle stockpiles of aging ammunition. The Defense Minister said the projects contribute to regional security. ¶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 --May 8: Maritime Advisor attended an Industry Outreach Seminar conducted by the State Export Control Agency (AKSHE) and the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). Three industry representatives attended the seminar. AKSHE is still determining who it needs to contact in order to inform exporters of controlled items of the licensing requirements and gain their compliance. AKSHE anticipates issuing its first license on June 1, 2009. --May 12: Maritime Advisor attended a meeting with representatives from PAMECA, OSCE, NATO Headquarters Tirana, the US Defense Modernization Team and ICITAP for follow on discussions regarding the Inter-institutional Maritime Operations Center (IMOC). PAMECA sent a draft Council of Minister's Decision endorsed by European Union Headquarters, to the Ministers of Interior and Defense with the international donor organization's suggestions for how civilian control of the IMOC could be organized. PAMECA did not receive a response from either Ministry but received, unofficially, a copy of a draft Council of Minister's Decision from the Ministry of Defense. This draft from the MOD did not address any of the EU's concerns regarding civilian control of the maritime border. Maritime Advisor suggested as a next step that the group meet with Captain Gerveni to discuss any objections he may have to PAMECA's draft decision as support from the CNO of the Navy would be crucial to having the Minister of Defense agree to the proposal and, to date, Captain Gerveni had not been included in the formulation of the draft decision proposed by PAMECA, et al. ICITAP suggested that PAMECA insist on a formal response to the draft decision it submitted rather than allowing the proposal to be ignored by both ministries. It was agreed by all to proceed accordingly and a follow-on meeting was set for May 19. -- May 13: Maritime Advisor met with Customs representative Alexsander Mucko and discussed distribution of equipment donated by EXBS on May 5, 2009. Mr. Mucko is in the process of analyzing equipment donated by various agencies and its distribution and MA offered to provide a list of all equipment donated to date by EXBS as well as a listing of all officers and their units that had received training to assist Customs in its plan for equipment distribution. MA also discussed training needs and Mr. Mucko indicated that training was needed in the northeast and the north, in particular, at Muriqan as the joint border crossing station with Montenegro would be opening in June 2009. --May 19: Maritime Advisor met with representatives from PAMECA, OSCE, NATO Headquarters Tirana, the Chief of the Albanian Navy, the US Defense Modernization Team, and ICITAP for discussions regarding the Inter-institutional Maritime Operations Center (IMOC) based on the outcome of the May 12 meeting. Captain Gerveni and the group discussed each aspect of the suggested Council of Minister's decision drafted by PAMECA, et al. and agreement was achieved by all parties on necessary changes based on Captain Gerveni's input. It was agreed that PAMECA make the changes to the draft Decision and Captain Gerveni take the document to his chain of command and try to get agreement and/or feedback from his Ministry on the draft TIRANA 00000429 002 OF 003 Decision. --May 21: Maritime Advisor met with the Chief of the Albanian Navy, Captain Gerveni, and discussed details for sending two officers to the International Maritime Officers Course as the USCG training center in Virginia. Captain Gerveni also indicated a need for assistance in reviewing Albania's maritime laws as several agencies/ministries have responsibilities in the maritime sector and one law that encompasses everyone's roles and responsibilities does not exist. Captain Gerveni also expressed concern over not being able to retain skilled people to maintain the newly installed Lockheed Martin radar system and his struggle to convince his Ministry of his basic resource and manpower needs. Per Captain Gerveni's request, MA provided information from the USCG on minimum manning for various platforms, platform operating limits and minimum platform needs based on geographic area of responsibility. --May 21: Maritime Advisor met with the representative from Commonwealth Trading Partners, Mr. Toomas Raba, to discuss the results of the third Tracker planning session with the State Export Control Agency (AKSHE). Mr. Raba recommended the following training for AKSHE: Dedicated Licensing Officer Training, Commodity Identification Recognition/Classification Workshop, especially for Customs officers, and Mapping of Industry Sectors. Mr. Raba also suggested asking the US Department of Commerce for information on Albanian companies they have issued export licenses to in order to assist AKSHE in identifying and communicating with these companies. --May 22: Maritime Advisor met with Deputy Director of Port Security Forces at the Port of Saranda, Mr. Pellumb Saraci and delivered a laptop, projector and laser printer. MA discussed training needs of Port Security Forces Saranda, logistical issues regarding placement of an x-ray baggage scanner in the passenger terminal, ongoing security upgrades to the port and the construction of the new port terminal. ¶4. (U) TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD --May 4-8: International Border Interdiction Training was conducted at the southern land border crossing of Kakavija. The training was provided by instructors from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Approximately twenty-five representatives from Customs and Border Police participated in the training. --May 19-20: A third Tracker planning session was held in Tirana with representatives from Commonwealth Trading Partners and the State Export Control Agency. --May 27-28: EXBS funded the participation of Mr. Elion Shkodrani, Senior Licensing Officer and Mr. Altin Korreshi, Systems Administrator from the State Export Control Agency to attend the Tracker Best Practice Conference in Warsaw, Poland. ¶5. (U) EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD --May 5: EXBS donated 10 CT-30 Kits, 40 radiation detection pagers, 10 Leica Distance Meters, 12 ballistic vests, 28 sets of handcuffs and handcuff cases and 20 hand held stop signs to Customs and Border Police. The equipment was divided equally between the two agencies, which have a Memorandum of Understanding to work cooperatively together with respect to the use of equipment. The total value of the equipment donated is $199,267 USD. --May 22: EXBS donated 1 laptop, 1 projector and 1 laser jet printer to the Port Security Forces at the Port of Saranda for use in conducting their training program. The total value of the equipment donated is $3,033.72 USD. ¶6. (SBU) IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS REPORT: ALBANIA: --June 25-27: EXBS will fund two representatives from the State Export Control Agency and one representative from Customs to attend TIRANA 00000429 003 OF 003 the 10th International Export Control Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. --July 14-16: Commonwealth Trading Partners will provide a National Control List Workshop to representatives from the Albanian State Export Control Agency. --September 21-25: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will provide International Border Interdiction Training at the Qafe Thane border crossing point. --June: Maritime equipment from the U.S. Coast Guard will be arriving in Tirana 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 --Albania has had in effect since October 2005 a moratorium on the use of personal watercraft/recreational boats in Albanian waters. The law on the moratorium states that it will cease to exist three years after it comes into effect. The deadline for the end of the moratorium was extended to May 8, 2009. Although that date has passed, the Albanian State Police (ASP) is still enforcing the law of the moratorium as the law was never abrogated by Parliament despite the deadline for its expiration passing. Parliament is not currently in session and a debate is ensuing as to whether it is legal for ASP to continue to enforce the law. ASP stated that it will continue to enforce the law until Parliament abrogates it officially. The law was originally enacted because of human trafficking issues and ASP's lack of resources to combat such issues. ¶8. (U) PORTAL MONITOR ALERTS -- None. ¶9. (U) RED FLAG ISSUES -- None. ¶10. (U) POC: LT Cari Bower, email: bowerc@state.gov. 1