US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB1677

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR PM/MMARKOFF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, KCIP, EINT, PREL, HR, Trade 
SUBJECT: CROATIA INTERESTED IN SOFIA CYBERSECURITY 
CONFERENCE 
 
REF: STATE 195750 
 
    SUMMARY 
 
1.  THE GOC HAS NO SPECIFIC NATIONAL PLAN FOR 
CYBERSECURITY AT THIS TIME, BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM 
AND TAKING STEPS TO ADDRESS IT AS PART OF A LARGER 
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.  THE GOC WILL LIKELY 
ATTEND THE SOFIA CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE (REFTEL), BUT 
WILL ONLY DETERMINE WHO TO SEND FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S 
OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION, MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY, AND MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS, 
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ONCE THE STRUCTURE 
(AND LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE) OF THE CONFERENCE IS 
DETERMINED.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  WE DISCUSSED REFTEL ISSUES WITH MLADEN MAUHER, HEAD 
OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR INTERNETIZATION AND OVERALL 
COORDINATER FOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES, AND DIJANA SIMIC, 
ASSISTANT MINISTER AT THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY.  SIMIC SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS 
DEVELOPING A STRATEGY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE 
21ST CENTURY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN EXAMINATION OF 
CROATIA'S CYBERSECURITY NEEDS. 
 
3.  CROATIA IS A SIGNATORY TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S 
CONVENTION ON CYBERSECURITY.  IT IS PASSING A SERIES OF 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, INCLUDING:  A 
LAW ON ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES WHICH WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, 
A DRAFT LAW ON COMMUNICATIONS IN THE WORKS, AND AN 
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE LAW WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DRAFT AND 
EXPECTED TO GO TO THE PARLIAMENT THIS FALL. 
 
    4.  A GOVERNMENT AGENCY CALLED CARNET (CROATIAN ACADEMIC 
AND RESEARCH NETWORK) OPERATES A 24/7 OPERATION THAT 
TRACKS AND RESPONDS TO PROBLEMS AND CYBER THREATS TO 
CROATIA'S INFORMATION NETWORKS. 
 
5.  MAUHER AND SIMIC SAID THAT DEPENDING ON THE 
STRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF THE CONFERENCE, MAUHER, SIMIC, 
AND POSSIBLY TATJANA HOLJEVAC, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR 
COMMUNICATIONS, WOULD ATTEND.  IF THE CONFERENCE IS AT 
MORE OF A TECHNICAL AND EXPERT LEVEL, SUSANA STOJANOVIC, 
ADVISOR IN OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION AND EXPERT IN 
SECURITY ISSUES, PERHAPS AN EXPERT FROM SIMIC'S OFFICE, 
AND MIHO PITAREVIC FROM HOLJEVAC'S DEPARTMENT WOULD 
ATTEND.  SIMIC ALSO RECOMMENDED THE HEAD OF CARNET IF 
THE CONFERENCE IS AT AN EXPERT LEVEL. 
 
FRANK 
 
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