US embassy cable - 05LJUBLJANA786

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 000786 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR, SI 
SUBJECT:  ODC SLOVENIA SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT, 
          OCTOBER 2005 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY: SLOVENIA IS SHOWING INTEREST IN PURCHASING 
EITHER THE C-27 OR CASA FOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT OF THEIR 
DEPLOYED TROOPS.  RAYTHEON WILL BE PITCHING A JAVELIN, 
STINGER AND TOW MISSILE CAPABILITY FOR SLOVENIA'S 152 
ARMORED INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE PROCUREMENT.  WE ARE 
WORKING TO STREAMLINE OUR FMS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND 
ULTIMATELY TRANSITIONING MUCH OF THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT 
TO SLOVENIAN CASE MANAGERS.  WE ARE COORDINATING A ONE 
WEEK DISAM MET FOR THESE NEW SLOVENIAN CASE MANAGERS.  WE 
HAVE AN ISSUE AND NEED ASSISTANCE WITH REGARDS TO GPS PPS 
CODES FOR THE SLOVENIANS FRENCH-MADE HELICOPTERS.  WE ARE 
CONTINUING TO WORK ESTABLISHING A DCA PROGRAM HERE IN 
SLOVENIA.  ODC IS WORKING WITH THE SLOVENE MOD TO OUTLINE 
SLOVENE BACKGROUND CHECKING PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CRIMINAL OR OTHER ILLICIT ACTIVITIES IN 
ORDER TO ELIMINATE ALL VETTING REQUIREMENTS OTHER THAN 
THE NEW ACES REQUIREMENT.  THE SLOVENE MINISTER OF INTERIOR 
WILL BE A GUEST SPEAKER AT ONE OF THE SPRING 06 MARSHALL 
CENTER RESIDENT SEMINARS.  COORDINATION FOR 8 MIL-MIL EVENTS 
AND A SMALL UNIT EVENT FOR FY 2006 IS ON GOING WITH THE FOCUS 
BEING NATO FORCE GOALS. 
 
2.  KEY ISSUES AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: 
 
A. FMS: 
 
1) THE SLOVENIANS HAVE STATED THEY ARE INTERESTED IN 
PURCHASING EITHER THE C-27 OR CASA TO FILL THE ROLE OF 
LOGISTICS SUPPORT FOR THEIR DEPLOYED TROOPS.  THESE AIRCRAFT 
WILL NOT BE USED FOR STRATEGIC AIRLIFT AS THEY PLAN TO USE 
THEIR EXISTING AGREEMENTS WITH THEIR PARTNERS FOR SUCH SUPPORT. 
WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DSCA TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE 
AIRCRAFT QUALIFY AS US EQUIPMENT UNDER THE 51% RULE AS WELL AS 
SEEKING ADVICE ON THE BEST WAY AHEAD. 
 
2) RAYTHEON IS PLANNING ON PITCHING A MODULAR JAVELIN, TOW 
AND/OR STINGER SYSTEM TO THE SLOVENIANS AS A FOLLOW-ON TO AN 
UPCOMING 152 ARMORED INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE TENDER FROM 
THE SLOVENIAN MOD.  A SLOVENIAN FIRM, SYSTEMSKA TEHNIKA 
(20% OWNED BY A GENERAL DYNAMIC SUBSIDIARY, STEYR-DAIMLER- 
PUCH) MAY RECEIVE THE CONTRACT FOR THEIR 8X8 VEHICLES. 
IN ORDER TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS WE ARE WORKING WITH DSCA TO 
DETERMINE WHETHER THE SLOVENIANS ARE APPROVED OR COULD BE 
APPROVED FOR THE PURCHASE OF THESE MISSILE SYSTEMS. 
SINCE THIS IS JUST A CONTRACTOR LOOKING FOR BUSINESS AT 
THIS TIME WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED IT WITHIN THE COUNTRY TEAM. 
 
3) WE HAVE LOST OUR SLOVENIAN FMS PROGRAM MANAGER FOR 
PREGNANCY LEAVE AND WE ARE WORKING WITH HER REPLACEMENT 
WHO IS QUICKLY COMING UP TO SPEED. 
 
4) WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN ESTABLISHING SLOVENIAN FMS 
CASE MANAGERS WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY 
CASE MANAGEMENT TASKS.  THESE CASE MANAGERS WILL BE IN 
DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEIR US COUNTERPARTS BACK AT THE 
MILITARY DEPARTMENTS ON ALL CASE EXECUTION DETAILS. 
OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO TRANSITION ALL FMS PROGRAM 
MANAGEMENT TO THE SLOVENIANS. 
 
 
5) WE'VE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WHERE THE FIRST TIME THE 
SLOVENIANS OR THE ODC HAVE VISIBILITY OVER FMS SHIPMENTS 
IS WHEN THE ITEMS SHOW UP IN COUNTRY.  AT THE RECENT 
TSCWG THE ODC CHIEF FOUND THE RIGHT USASAC FOLKS TO 
 
SIPDIS 
RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.SPECIAL THANKS TO MS LISA RICCHIAZZI 
FOR QUICKLY STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE TO HELP. 
 
6) WE NEED ASSISTANCE UNDERSTANDING WHERE A REQUIREMENT 
FOR GPS PPS CODES IS COMING FROM.  SLOVENIA BELIEVES 
THAT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO 
GPS PPS CODES FOR THEIR HELICOPTERS.  THIS REQUIRES 
THEM TO HAVE SPECIAL COMSEC EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN 
THEIR FRENCH MADE/MAINTAINED (AS532) COUGAR HELICOPTERS 
WHICH CREATES A POTENTIAL EUM ISSUE. 
 
B. DCA:  WE ARE CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS TO SEE WHAT DCA 
OPPORTUNITIES EXIST IN SLOVENIA.  WE PLAN ON BRINGING 
THE EDISON HOUSE EXPERTS IN THIS SPRING TO MEET WITH 
PROMISING SLOVENIAN COMPANIES, SCIENTISTS AND MOD 
PERSONNEL. FROM THERE WE WILL DETERMINE OUR WAY AHEAD. 
 
C. IMET: 
 
1) 4 NCOS WERE OUTPROCESSED FOR VARIOUS TECHNICAL AND 
 
 
PME TRAINING. THERE ARE ONLY 2 MORE STUDENTS LEFT IN FY 
05. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS TRAINED IN FY 05 WILL 
BE 67. 
 
2) ODC IS COORDINATING WITH DISAM FOR A ONE-WEEK MET IN 
JANUARAY 2006 FOR OUR NEWLY ESTABLISHED SLOVENE FMS 
CASE MANAGERS WITH THE INTENT OF ULTIMATELY BRINGING 
THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WILL INDEPENDENTLY MANAGE 
THEIR APPLICABLE ACTIVE FMS CASES. THIS MET WILL ALSO 
CONDUCT A ONE-DAY EXECUTIVE FMS SEMINAR WITH THE MOD'S 
NEW ACTING DIRECTOR OF LOGISTICS (MR DOLINAR) AND HIS 
IMMEDIATE STAFF.  WE THANK DISAM FOR THEIR GREAT 
SUPPORT AND FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE 
TRAINING NEED OF OUR OFFICE. 
 
3) ODC IS WORKING WITH THE SLOVENE MOD TO OUTLINE 
SLOVENE BACKGROUND CHECKING PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CRIMINAL OR OTHER ILLICIT 
ACTIVITIES. BASED ON THIS, THE COUNTRY TEAM WILL 
DETERMINE IF THE SLOVENE MOD HAS A SCREENING PROGRAM 
WHICH IS SUFFICIENT TO GUARANTEE COMPLIANCE WITH US 
SCREENING REQUIREMENTS AND THUS ELIMINATE THE 
REQUIREMENT FOR ALL BACKGROUND CHECKS OTHER THAN THE 
NEW ACES SYSTEM. 
 
4) ODC HAS DEVELOPED A NEW DEBRIEFING QUESTIONNAIRE TO 
CAPTURE FEED BACK AFTER COMPLETION OF IMET TRAINIG. THE 
QUESTIONNAIRE IS IN SLOVENE LANGUAGE AND URGES STUDENTS 
TO CRITICALLY ASSES THEIR TRAINING EXPERIENCE IN THE 
US. THIS IS PART OF OUR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS. 
 
 
D. MARSHALL CENTER: 
 
5) ODC IS COORDINATING A 2-DAY VISIT TO THE MARSHALL 
CENTER BY THE SLOVENE MOD REPRESENTATIVES. THE PURPOSE 
OF THIS VISIT IS TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE COOPERATION 
BETWEEN THE MOD TRAINING CENTER AND THE MARSHALL CENTER 
IN ORGANIZING VARIOUS SEMINARS AS WELL GAINING AN 
OVERVIEW OF ALL MARSHALL CENTER PROGRAMS. 
 
6) THE SLOVENE MINISTER OF INTERIOR HAS RESPONDED TO 
THE MARSHALL CENTER INVITATION TO BE A GUEST SPEAKER AT 
ONE OF THE SPRING 06 RESIDENT SEMINARS. 
 
E. MIL-TO-MIL: 
 
1) COORDINATION FOR 8 MIL-MIL EVENTS AND A SMALL UNIT 
EVENT FOR FY 2006 IS ON GOING.  EVENTS CONTINUE TO 
FOCUS ON NATO FORCE GOALS. 
 
2) THE NEXT JCTP EVENT WILL BE CONDUCTED ON 27 NOV - 2 
DEC WHEN 4 SLOVENES FROM THE NBC BATTALION TRAVEL TO 
THE NBC SCHOOL AT FT LEONARD WOOD AND THEN TO THE 2ND 
CHEM BN AT FT HOOD. THEIR FOCUS IS ON FAMILIARIZATION 
WITH U.S. CBRN ARTEPS AND HOW A BATTALION EVALUATES 
PLATOON AND COMPANY READINESS. 
 
3.  PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS: 
 
A.  PERSONNEL: 
 
1) PERSPECTIVE GAINS: NONE 
 
2) PERSPECTIVE LOSSES: NONE 
 
3) ATTACHED PERSONNEL: NONE 
 
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 (UPCOMING EVENTS): 12-13 DEC SOUTHEASTERN 
EUROPEAN CLEARING HOUSE. 
 
5. CHIEF COMMENTS: THIS IS A BUSY TIME OF YEAR WITH THE 
TSCWG, IMET/FMF BUDGET SUBMISSIONS, CCP DEVELOPMENT AND 
 
SIPDIS 
OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS.  WE ARE DILIGENTLY 
WORKING TO WRAP THESE THINGS UP AS WE ARE IMPROVING OUR 
 
 
OPERATIONS.  AT THIS TIME OUR TOP PRIORITY IS OUR FMS 
PROCESS WHERE WE ARE CONTINUING TO IDENTIFY SLOVENIA'S 
ACQUISITION PRIORITIES, ESTABLISHING AN ODC-MOD SOP, 
AND WORKING TO TRANSITION MUCH OF THE DAY-TO-DAY 
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TO SLOVENIAN CASE MANAGERS. 
 
6. POC: LT COL GENE MOTY ?1-471-2873 EMOTY@SAN.OSD.MIL 
- OR - MAJ SCOTT FREDERICKSEN ?1-471-2165 
SCOTT.FREDERICKSEN@US.ARMY.MIL 
 
 
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