EXBS ADRIATIC REGION MARITIME REPORTING CABLE FOR MAY 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TIRANA 000429

SIPDIS
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STATE FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JBALDWIN, LSPRINGER
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USCBP INA FOR BSUBER
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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

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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

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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.
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