VZCZCXRO4969
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHWR #0189 0421511
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111511Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5929
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 1987
RHMFIUU/COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL

UNCLAS WARSAW 000189 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/TRA HAYWOOD AND EUN/NCE PUTNEY 
COAST GUARD ROTTERDAM FOR HUDSON AND BOYLES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT PREL PGOV PL
SUBJECT: POLAND: SMOOTH SAILING AHEAD FOR COAST GUARD PORT 
SECURITY VISIT 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet 
distribution. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Econoff accompanied a team of U.S. Coast Guard 
officers to a meeting on January 29 with Polish officials to 
discuss an upcoming port facility visit under the 
International Port Security Program (IPSP).  The Polish 
participants included administrators from Poland's Maritime 
Security Department as well as representatives of the port 
operators from Gdynia and Szczecin.  During the meeting, the 
Polish officials pledged their full cooperation with the 
Coast Guard to carry out the visit.  The meeting participants 
scheduled visits to Gdansk and Gdynia for February 26-27, and 
Szczecin for February 28.  They also identified specific 
areas of the ports that would be focus of the visits. 
 
¶3.  (U)  The IPSP is designed to help foreign ports carry out 
the provisions of the International Ship and Port Security 
Code (ISPS Code).  The ISPS Code is part of the International 
Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea, and sets out minimum 
security arrangements for ships, ports, and coast guard 
agencies.  The U.S. Coast Guard conducts visits under the 
IPSP to discuss issues of port security and share best 
practices with foreign port operators and governmental 
agencies. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Comment:  This visit was a pleasant change from 
previous attempts to discuss port security with the GOP. 
Under the previous government it was difficult to even meet 
with GOP officials on maritime security issues.  The 
efficient, business-like meeting and promise to cooperate on 
port security issues was good news for the USG and GOP.  We 
note that under the Kaczynski government, the Ministry of 
Maritime Affairs was created and then led by a 26 year old 
minister with no maritime or managerial experience.  We 
believe that this meeting is another indicator that business 
is starting to return to normal under the new Tusk government. 
ASHE