US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB914

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/AAE, EUR/SCE, EUR/PRA, EUR/ACE AND NP 
LJUBLJANA FOR EXBS PROGRAM ADVISOR 
JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT 
SARAJEVO FOR TILMAN AND KONTOS 
VIENNA FOR LEGATT AND CUSTOMS 
ROME FOR DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2008 
TAGS: KSTC, ETTC, PARM, PREL, ETTC, PARM, PREL, HR, HRKSTC 
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING THE CROATIA EXBS PROGRAM 
 
REF: A. STATE 92865 
     B. 02 STATE 253531 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF ROB SILBERSTEIN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (SBU) POST WELCOMES DEPARTMENT'S DECISION TO LAUNCH AN 
EXBS PROGRAM IN CROATIA AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT 
ON THE EXBS PROGRAM "ROAD MAP" (REF A).  THE TECHNICAL 
PROGRAMS AND TRAINING THAT COME WITH THE EXBS PROGRAM GIVE US 
ADDED LEVERAGE TO FOSTER INCREASED GOC COOPERATION ON 
REGIONAL SECURITY AND ARMS CONTROL ISSUES. 
 
THE EXBS ENVIRONMENT IN CROATIA 
------------------------------- 
 
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2. (SBU) THE ASSISTANCE ENVIRONMENT IN CROATIA IS COMPLEX AND 
HAS CHANGED MARKEDLY SINCE THE EXBS ASSESSMENT TEAM CAME TO 
ZAGREB IN MARCH 2002.  CROATIA, UNDER THE EU'S STABILIZATION 
AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT, HAS BEGUN TO RECEIVE MILLIONS OF 
EUROS IN ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE EU/CARDS PROGRAM. 
APPROXIMATELY EURO 14 MILLION PER YEAR FROM 2002 TO 2004 IS 
EARMARKED FOR BORDER CONTROL, POLICE AND CUSTOMS REFORM AND 
ASYLUM ISSUES.  EU MEMBER STATES ALSO PROVIDE LIMITED 
BILATERAL ASSISTANCE ON BORDER SECURITY ISSUES.  THE USG, 
THROUGH THE INL- AND SEED-FUNDED PROGRAMS PROVIDES 
APPROXIMATELY USD 1.5 MILLION PER YEAR IN ASSISTANCE FOR 
POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR REFORM.  U.S. PROGRAMS ARE 
DUE TO PHASE OUT IN FY 2004.  WE RECENTLY ALSO LAUNCHED THE 
DOD-MANAGED WMD COUNTER-PROLIFERATION PROGRAM.  OUR CHALLENGE 
IS TO ENSURE THAT THE EXBS PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS AND DOES NOT 
COMPETE WITH THESE EXISTING INITIATIVES. 
 
3. (C) THE EU FACTOR IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.  CROATIA'S 
PRINCIPAL FOREIGN POLICY GOAL IS EU MEMBERSHIP.  OUR 
EXPERIENCE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THAT CROATIAN POLICY-MAKERS 
WILL SHY AWAY FROM IMPLEMENTING ANY INITIATIVE SHOULD THEY 
BELIEVE THAT ITS PRESCRIPTIONS ARE IN CONFLICT WITH EU 
RECOMMENDATIONS OR PROGRAMS. 
 
4. (SBU) WHILE THE ASSISTANCE FIELD IS CROWDED, THE EXBS 
PROGRAM ADDRESSES A UNIQUE NEED.  THE EU'S PROGRAMS ARE 
FOCUSED ON CROATIA'S EXTENSIVE UNDER-MANNED AND 
UNDER-EQUIPPED LAND BORDER: CROATIAN PORTS AND MARITIME 
SECURITY ISSUES LARGELY HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY THE EU.  NEITHER 
DOES THE CARDS PROGRAM ENVISION INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN 
CROATIAN CONTROLS OVER ARMS AND DUAL USE EXPORTS.  U.S. 
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS COULD PROVIDE A 
USEFUL LAUNCHING PAD FOR SOME EXBS INITIATIVES, BUT THEIR 
EMPHASIS LAYS ELSEWHERE. 
 
5. (C) DURING OUR BILATERAL DEFENSE CONSULTATIONS IN FEBRUARY 
2003, GOC REPRESENTATIVES ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LACK OF 
INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION SERIOUSLY DEGRADED CROATIA'S ABILITY 
TO CONTROL ITS BORDERS AND TO MANAGE CRISES.  WHILE SOME 
REFORMERS IN THE GOC ARE READY TO CREATE AN INTER-AGENCY 
COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE BORDER AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT ISSUES, 
BUREAUCRATIC RESISTANCE WITHIN THE GOC HAS STYMIED THIS 
INITIATIVE TO DATE.  BY TARGETING OUR EXBS ASSISTANCE, WE 
HOPE TO ENCOURAGE THE GOC TO STAND UP SUCH A COMMITTEE IN 
ORDER TO MANAGE THE RESOURCES THAT WOULD FLOW FROM THE EXBS 
AND WMD PROGRAMS.  SUCH A SINGLE FOCAL POINT WOULD MAKE OUR 
ASSISTANCE DELIVERY MORE EFFICIENT AS WELL AS ENHANCE THE 
OVERALL BORDER SECURITY/CRISIS MANAGEMENT CAPACITY OF 
CROATIA. 
 
WAY AHEAD 
--------- 
 
6. (SBU) UPON RECEIPT OF REF A, POST FORMED AN EXBS WORKING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1009 
 
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ACTION INL-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    CIAE-00  CIP-00   CTME-00  DOEE-00 
      WHA-00   DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   OIGO-00  VC-00 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NRRC-00 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OMB-01   PM-00    ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   T-00     USIE-00 
      EPAE-00  ECA-00   SSD-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /004W 
                  ------------------5AEA8B  250604Z /38 
R 250554Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0022 
INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 
AMEMBASSY VIENNA 
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHDC 
DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC 
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC 
CTF SIX SIX 
COMSIXTHFLT 
COMUSEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE 
COMUSEUCOM ALT SHAPE BE 
DIA WASHDC 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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FBI WASHDC 
USMISSION USOSCE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 000914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/AAE, EUR/SCE, EUR/PRA, EUR/ACE AND NP 
LJUBLJANA FOR EXBS PROGRAM ADVISOR 
JUSTICE FOR ICITAP AND OPDAT 
SARAJEVO FOR TILMAN AND KONTOS 
VIENNA FOR LEGATT AND CUSTOMS 
ROME FOR DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2008 
TAGS: KSTC, ETTC, PARM, PREL, HR 
SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING THE CROATIA EXBS PROGRAM 
 
GROUP COMPRISED OF DAO AND POL SECTIONS REPRESENTATIVES, THE 
DOJ/ICITAP POLICE ADVISOR, U.S. CUSTOMS/SECI ADVISOR, AND 
EXBS PROGRAM MANAGER STEVE HAYWARD.  THE WORKING GROUP 
CONCURRED WITH THE GENERAL THRUST OF THE REF A ROAD MAP, 
PARTICULARLY ITS EMPHASIS ON PORT AND MARITIME SECURITY AND 
EXPORT CONTROL TRAINING.  THE DOJ/ICITAP ADVISOR COMMENTED 
THAT THE USD 55,000 IN "TRAIN-THE-TRAINER" EQUIPMENT 
DUPLICATED ONGOING INL- AND SEED-FUNDED ACTIVITIES.  WE 
RECOMMEND THAT THIS FUNDING BE REALLOCATED TO OTHER EXBS 
NEEDS.  THE EXBS ADVISOR WAS ASKED TO FOLLOW UP ON A INFORMAL 
PLEDGE OF WMD-PROGRAM IMPLEMENTERS TO DELIVER USD 75,000 IN 
RADIATION PAGERS THROUGH THE WMD PROGRAM, FREEING UP THOSE 
RESOURCES FOR OTHER EXBS ACTIVITIES.  THE WORKING GROUP ALSO 
RECOMMENDED THAT THE EXBS ADVISOR INCORPORATE IN THE DRAFT 
EXBS CROATIA 2003 COUNTRY PLAN PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT AND 
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NURTURE THE GOC'S NASCENT INTER-AGENCY BORDER SECURITY AND 
CRISIS COORDINATION BODY. 
 
NEXT STEPS 
---------- 
 
7. (SBU)  POST PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING NOTIONAL TIME-LINE FOR 
ENGAGING WITH THE GOC AND OTHER BILATERAL DONORS ON THE EXBS 
PROGRAM: 
 
-- BY APRIL 30:  NOTIFY THE GOC THAT THE EXBS PROGRAM HAS 
BEEN APPROVED, OUTLINE OUR VISION FOR IMPLEMENTING THE 
PROGRAM AND DELIVER THE EXBS "TRIP REPORT" (REF B). 
 
-- APRIL 30:  INFORMALLY BRIEF THE LOCAL INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY DONORS ASSISTANCE GROUP (EU, OSCE, FRANCE, UK, 
GERMANY, AUSTRIA, CANADA) ON THE EXBS INITIATIVE.  BEGIN 
INTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS, WHO 
DIRECT THE EU/CARDS BORDER POLICE AND CUSTOMS REFORM 
INITIATIVES. 
 
-- MID-MAY:  EMBASSY EXBS WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW DRAFT EXBS 
2003 CROATIA COUNTRY PLAN THAT EXBS LJUBLJAN IS IN THE 
PROCESS OF DRAFTING. 
 
-- EARLY JUNE:  PRESENT EXBS 2003 PROPOSED WORK PLAN TO THE 
MFA AND TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOC'S MARITIME AND BORDER 
SECURITY COMMITTEE FOR COMMENT AND APPROVAL. 
 
8.  (U) EMBASSY ZAGREB EXBS POCS ARE:  POLOFF ROBERT 
SILBERSTEIN: 385-1-661-2341; CELL: 385-91-455-2379.  DAO: 
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LCDR ROBERT ALLEN: 385-1-661-2308; CELL: 385-91-455-2308. 
MOON 
 
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