US embassy cable - 05LJUBLJANA461

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 000461 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR, SI 
SUBJECT:  ODC SLOVENIA SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT, 
JUNE 2005 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY. The MOD signed the ACSA implementing 
letter; Gasper Kresnik is "FSN of the Year"; the new 
ODC Chief, Lt Col Gene Moty arrived; Bell 412 IFF 
installation schedule is not yet finalized. 
 
2.  KEY ISSUES AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS 
 
A. FMF 
 
1) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING (S3-D-TAC, $650,194) 
The Slovene Coordinator for the English Language School 
was hired but her start date has not been announced. 
In the interim, Kathy Lance is performing the duties of 
the coordinator. 
 
2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FIELD TEAM (S3-B-OAB, $153,522) 
ODC continues to work with the Commander of the Vipava 
Training Center to assist him in implementing 
improvements to Slovenia's basic training. 
 
3) BELL 412 VHF RADIO and IFF (S3-B-UAJ/UAK) 
Installation of the radios (UAJ) is proceeding, but has 
been delayed.  The Project manager asked for ODC 
assistance in contacting the contractor to finalize the 
mod schedule.  The ODC is working with CECOM, the 15th 
Brigade (Air Force), and Raytheon to determine the 
installation schedule for the IFF; the earliest start 
date would be in the fall. 
 
4) BLANKET TRAINING (S3-B-OAC) 
Four junior NCOs from the 10th Motorized Battalion 
(10th MOTB) graduated from the Primary Leadership 
Course at the 7th Army NCO Academy. This was the second 
group of Slovenes attending this training. 
 
B. DCS/CONTRACTOR 
 
1) GPS.  The Slovenes signed GPS MOU IV this spring. 
The ODC is working on determining what actions are 
still required to get the GPS receiver exported to 
Slovenia.  The GPS is planned to be installed in the 
Cougar helicopters. 
 
C. IMET 
 
1) Eight students have been processed for IMET training 
in the US.  Four students departed to attend mid-level 
invitational PME, namely the Air Command and Staff 
College, Army Command and General Staff College and 
U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy. 
 
2) End of year money in the amount of $68,000 was 
requested for three courses: 
  -    B155420 Advanced Management Program 
-    B172599 Intl Off Intel Advanced and B172600 Intel 
in Combat Terrorism 
-    P171207 SNCO Career Course USMC 
 
3) An ECL test was administered to six (6) students all 
for FY05 IMET. 
 
D. MARSHALL CENTER. 
 
1) "Lessons Learned from Recent Terrorist Attacks", 
Ljubljana, 28 June - 01 July 2005.  The conference 
brought together over 100 experts from 27 NATO - Russia 
Council nations to compare lessons learned from recent 
Islamic-militant attacks, with emphasis on 
presentations from the US, Spain and Turkey.  Slovenian 
Foreign Minister Dr. Dimitrij Rupel opened the 
conference.  Also speaking at the opening were US 
Ambassador to Slovenia Thomas B. Robertson, German 
Ambassador Hans Jochen Peters, Director of Russia 
Relations at the Political Affairs and Security Policy 
Division Paul Fritch, and George C. Marshall European 
Center for Security Studies Director Dr. John Rose. 
 
2) While in Slovenia Dr. Rose met with several senior 
officials from the ministries which send their 
employees to the George C. Marshall Center for resident 
programs and conferences.  The main topic of discussion 
at all the Ministries was how to bolster cooperation 
and attract more Slovene participants to the Marshall 
Center resident seminars (Program in Advanced Security 
Studies and Program in Terrorism and Security Studies). 
 
 
3) Dr. Rose met with the Minister of Interior Dragutin 
Mate.  Mr. Mate reassured that the Marshall Center 
provides valuable training for the Ministry of Interior 
and the Police. Further the Minister expressed interest 
in co-hosting a conference in 2007 on a topic that 
would be interesting for both parties. 
 
4) At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rose met 
with Ambassador Mitja Strukelj, Secretary General and 
Dr. Janez Sumrada, Head of the Policy Planning and 
Research Division. Mr. Sturkelj stressed that the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a shortage of personnel 
and many activities (OSCE presidency, preparing for the 
EU presidency) that prevent them from sending more 
people to the Marshall Center resident seminars. 
 
5) At the Ministry of Defense, Dr. Rose, Mr. Franci 
Znidarsic, Deputy Minister and Mr. Drago Bitenc, Head 
of Personnel Department, discussed how to make sure 
that the MOD/Slovene Armed Forces personnel will be 
given credit for attending Marshall Center resident 
seminars. Currently attending resident courses doesn't 
provide any career enhancement and thus the personnel 
are not motivated to attend 3-month training in 
Garmisch.  Dr. Rose will provide syllabi for the core 
and elective courses, which will help the MOD include 
Marshall Center seminars in the MOD education and 
training system. 
 
6) The Marshall Center Graduate support office hosted 
"Slovenia Security Cooperation Roundtable" on the topic 
of "Transatlantic Cooperation and Security after 9/11". 
Approximately 20 alumni participated. 
 
3.  PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS 
 
A.  PERSONNEL: 
 
1) PERSPECTIVE GAINS: Lt Col Eugene Moty, new ODC 
Chief, arrived 25 Jun 05 
2) PERSPECTIVE LOSSES: Lt Col Claytor, projected 
departure date is 21 Jul 05 
 
3) ATTACHED PERSONNEL: 
- Kathy Lance, English Teacher, one-year contract 
- John Stephens, English Teacher, one-year contract 
- Helen Prevost, English Teacher, one-year contract 
- Kristin Pedroja, Test Developer, one-year contract 
- Samo Drnovsek, limited PSA contract, Mil-to-Mil 
 
4) ODC CHIEF APPROVED TDY/LEAVE: None 
 
5) RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None 
 
6) EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None 
 
B. RESOURCES. Vehicles and ADP equipment are 100% 
operational. 
 
4.  WAY AHEAD: We are continuing the transition of the 
office from Lt Col Claytor to Lt Col Moty and will be 
complete on 11 July. 
 
5. CHIEF COMMENTS: 
 
A.  ACSA. The US Embassy accepted changes to the 
Slovene translation of ACSA as proposed in the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs diplomatic note (dated 6 May 05). 
On 6 July, Slovenia's MOD signed a letter to the U.S. 
DoD confirming that all internal procedures for 
implementing the agreement were completed.  ACSA 
entered into force on 6 July 2005. 
 
B. Gasper Kresnik was named "FSN of the Year" by the US 
Embassy Ljubljana; the Ambassador presented the award 
at an awards ceremony in June.  Irena Cufar received 
the Meritorious Honor award for exceptional 
performance.  Irena also received an award from the 
Commander of the 1st Brigade in recognition of her 
assistance and support of operations and development of 
units of the First Brigade. 
 
6. POC: 
Lt Col Gene Moty 
 
 
+386-1-471-2873 
emoty@san.osd.mil 
- or - 
MAJ Scott Fredericksen 
+386-1-471-2165 scott.fredericksen@us.army.mil 
REGARDS. 
ROBERTSON 
 
 
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 2005LJUBLJ00461 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 


 
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