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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVB #0713/01 2841122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101122Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8688
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000713
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD, EUR/RPM AND EUR/ERA
OSD FOR POPOVICH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR
SUBJECT: ZAGREB WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT - OCTOBER 10, 2008
1. (U) CROATIA: AMERICAN EXPERT ON FINANCIAL CRIMES IS AN
ASSET TO CROATIAN PROSECTORS:
As part of IIP's Strategic Speaker Initiative, Judith
Kozlowski, Chief Counsel at the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (FINRA), spent three days meeting with Croatian
prosecutors, police, judges, the media and representatives of
both the Market Security Agency and the Office of Money
Laundering. The response from judges and prosecutors was
particularly positive including an invitation to return for
the annual conference of prosecutors. Her visit not only
helped the Croatians learn more about U.S. approaches to
financial crime, but also provided us with greater insight
into relations among the different agencies and developed
relations with key players that will help our efforts to
engage on organized crime and money laundering issues. (RPost)
2. (U) EMBASSY-SPONSORED DVC HELPS JUDGES MANAGE
COURTROOM-MEDIA RELATIONS:
Embassy Zagreb sponsored a digital video conference (DVC) on
courtroom-media relations for 30 judges and state prosecutors
in Vukovar, a city struggling to overcome the effects of the
war. Ambassador Bradtke welcomed participants and engaged in
the discussion. The Embassy has worked closely with judges
through post's war crimes project, donating a video
conference system to the court to facilitate remote testimony
and witness protection. The judges have been at the
forefront of reconciliation, minority employment, and
unbiased prosecution of crimes in Vukovar. The DVC featured
Judge Murray Richtel, an accomplished judge, university
professor, and attorney with considerable experience in media
relations. Judge Richtel discussed practical ways to
maintain the difficult balance of ensuring freedom of
expression and providing a fair trial. This DVC was the
third in a series the Embassy has sponsored for the judges.
In the previous conferences, a U.S. marshall gave a
presentation on witness protection and support and Dr.
Kellerman from Harvard's Kennedy School discussed leadership.
(KWetzel)
3. (U) REGIONAL ECON AND COMMERCIAL STAFF LEARN TRADECRAFT
AND STRIVE TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION:
On October 6-7, Embassy Zagreb hosted a Commercial
Service-State Department Joint Partnership Training Program.
Commercial and economic officers and specialists from
Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia attended.
Participants received training on commercial diplomacy and
Commercial Service products with the aim of strengthening
State-Commerce cooperation in the region. Senior commercial
officers and commercial specialists from the region as well
as two trainers from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office
of Professional Development conducted sessions. Attendees
also participated in a networking session with over 40
representatives from U.S. firms that wished to expand
throughout the region. (PWard)
4. (U) USCG TEAM FINDS CROATIAN PORTS IN COMPLIANCE AND
CROATIAN COAST GUARD TAKING SHAPE:
From September 29 to October 2, two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
international port security liaison officers visited Croatia
to meet port facility officials and learn how they are
implementing the International Ship and Port Security Code
(ISPS). On a visit to Ploce, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka last
December, a USCG team found that Croatia had substantially
implemented the ISPS Code. On last week's visit to public and
private ports in Pula, Opatija, Rijeka and Split, the
officers again found the facilities were substantially
implementing the code. On October 2, Captain John Koster
joined the liaison officers and post's naval attache and
economic officer for a courtesy visit to the Croatian Coast
Guard commander, Vice Admiral Zdravko Kardum. Captain Koster
congratulated VADM Kardum on the formation of the Croatian
Coast Guard and discussed potential areas for future
assistance and cooperation. (SLitke)
5. (U) EMBASSY SPONSORS UNIVERSITY FUNDRAISING CONFERENCE:
In conjunction with the University of Georgia, Embassy Zagreb
sponsored a conference for universities on fundraising.
Using case studies and small group analysis, educators from
the U of GA's Institute of Higher Education (IHE) shared
their knowledge of fundraising with over 30 deans and rectors
from Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albania, and Serbia. In
an era of shrinking state resources, the university leaders
greatly appreciated the practical information they gained on
the basics of fundraising, from establishing foundations to
identifying and working with prospective donors. This
conference is the latest in a series the Embassy has
sponsored with the U of GA to promote higher education in
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Croatia. Previous conferences have focused on ethics,
student services, quality assurance, financial control, and
university management. (KWetzel)
6. (U) REGIONAL SUPPORT MILESTONE:
Embassy Zagreb and Podgorica finished their first year of
financial management cooperation, and effective October 1,
2008, we have added financial management for Podgorica ICASS
as well. HR support to Montenegro enters its third year and
all of Podgorica's ICASS employees were successfully
transferred from AID to the State Department. Authority for
certifying and cashiering also transferred from AID to State.
This transition was facilitated by AID Belgrade's handover
of management responsibility to the new State management
officer in Podgorica, Deb Taylor, and by extensive
end-of-year exchange visits between the three posts.
(TFavret)
7. (U) EMBASSY STAFF WALK FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS ON PINK
RIBBON DAY:
Fifteen people from the Embassy community, including
Ambassador Bradtke and his wife, joined Mayor Bandic, Deputy
Prime Minister Kosor and approximately 300 other supporters
on Pink Ribbon Day, an awareness-raising event organized by
the Croatian NGO Europa Donna on October 4. Before
participants walked through downtown Zagreb, Europa Donna
President Nada Kraljevic and others spoke about the
importance of women's taking advantage of breast cancer
screening. DPM Kosor spoke about the government's National
Program for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer, which sends
a mammogram appointment card every other year to women age 50
to 69. Although the program has raised the number of women
getting mammograms, Kosor noted that about half of the women
who receive the cards do not go to the appointment. (SLitke)
Walker