VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTI #0413/01 1541109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021109Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7136
INFO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2409

UNCLAS TIRANA 000413 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV OSCE AL
SUBJECT:  THE WORK OF THE OSCE PRESENCE IN ALBANIA 
 
REF:  A) 07 State 44629  B) TIRANA 406  C) TIRANA 408 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The OSCE Presence in Albania (PIA) will present 
its Programme Outline in Vienna on June 3, in preparation for 
discussions of its 2009 budget.  Post supports overall USG policy to 
reduce expenditures of OSCE Balkan Missions in a desire to push for 
greater OSCE presence further east (Ref A and previous).  The work 
performed in Albania by the PIA, however, is in keeping with U.S. 
regional interests, including stability in Kosovo and the region. 
The PIA is a force multiplier for the vital democratic reform 
efforts still urgently needed in the run-up to Albania's NATO and 
future EU memberships.  Other missions -- bilateral or multilateral 
-- are not able to provide the same support to Albania's fledgling 
democratic institutions.  The PIA is one of the most efficient 
Balkan OSCE missions, as we understand it.  With the Ambassador's 
full endorsement, we urge Washington's careful evaluation of the 
contributions made by this small and efficient Presence as 
considerations of the PIA budget begin.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Post was pleased to meet with one of the USG 
representatives on the recent OSCE Advisory Committee on Management 
and Finance's annual trip to Tirana to evaluate the PIA, in order to 
share our perspective on the Presence's work and activities here. 
As one of the largest embassies here, we nonetheless rely heavily on 
the PIA's excellent work, from reporting to program management.  We 
work closely with them, from the Ambassador to the international and 
Albanian staff.  The PIA was integral to improved conduct of the 
February 2007 local elections, to ongoing progress in the civil 
registry project, to democratization and civil society building 
projects, and even to one of the few internationally supported waste 
management efforts ongoing in Albania.  The PIA coordinates its 
activities in advance with us and in many instances with a larger 
group of donors/bilateral missions. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The OSCE is not a NATO member and the PIA was not part of 
our own efforts, or those of the Albanian Government, to garner 
support for Albania's April 2 NATO invitation.  In the prelude to 
the decision to offer that invitation, however, the role of PIA as 
force multiplier was clear.  Even with a five-officer 
political-economic section, we are unable to visit Albania's further 
regions on a regular basis or to cover the breadth of contacts 
needed to understand Albania's Byzantine political decision making 
process.  We rely on the PIA to supplement our own contacts and 
travels.  Most missions, even the relatively large European 
Commission, have at most one person who covers political affairs. 
The concise, accurate information supplied by the Presence to member 
states helped ensure that a more up-to-date picture of Albania's 
progress (and lack thereof) was shared, including by NATO Ally 
embassies.  Post, on its own, would not have the same reach.  We can 
only imagine the extent to which our colleagues in much smaller 
missions rely on OSCE staff. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Especially under the leadership of new PIA Head Robert 
Bosch, the PIA "gets it" with regard to efficiency.  Over the last 
four years, the Presence has utilized 100% of its budget to maximize 
project delivery.  We understand this to be a demonstration of 
possibly exceptional efficiency among similar missions.  The 
Presence reduced operational costs in 2008.  The ratio between 
international and national staff is one of the lowest in the OSCE 
system, based on information available to us.  Reduced staffing 
levels over the last years brought a reduction in staff costs. 
Office and travel costs have been cut.  We further understand that 
the PIA is operating with one of the lowest ratios of vehicles to 
professional staff in the system. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) PIA programs directly support USG goals in Albania and in 
the region.  By helping to improve GOA efficiency and to strengthen 
democracy and civil society, PIA programs complement and supplement 
our own, which have been subject to continuing SEED cuts.  In 
addition to funds administered from the OSCE Unified Budget, the PIA 
manages extra budgetary contributions from participating states and 
other international organizations, which trust the Presence's 
efficient management.  (These funds are currently worth some 4.5 
million Euros.)  The PIA partners with other donors to stretch its 
own budget and get further impact for important programs.  One 
example is EC support to the OSCE-led civil registry system 
modernization project.  (See also Ref C.)  Sometimes to the regret 
of the larger community, but as with our own USG assistance, some 
smaller programs with good objectives and results have been stopped 
in order to achieve greater focus and efficiency.  The PIA is a key 
member of the Donor Technical Secretariat, which coordinates donor 
community responses to the Government of Albania's assistance 
requests to avoid duplication; the PIA chaired the group last year. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  As a result of efforts already undertaken to trim its 
staff and increase its efficiency, across-the-board percentage cuts 
to Balkan OSCE missions would hit the PIA very hard.  The Presence 
heeded calls, in particular from the USG, to focus and improve 
efficiencies.  It remains an integral part of the "democracy 
building" team in Albania and in some cases provides programs no 
other donor is willing or able to take on.  (A small waste disposal 
project is especially meaningful in this regard, in light of the 
complete absence of interest by other donors in assisting Albania in 
this field and the great need the country faces.  See also Ref B.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Albania will soon be a NATO Ally, we expect, and in the 
more distant future, it will probably succeed in joining the 
European Union.  But the country's democratic development is still 
halting.  It is not yet ready or able to graduate from international 
assistance, and the leadership and guidance it receives from the PIA 
is vital.  PIA programs help Albania to continue to play the 
important regional stabilizing role upon which the U.S. relies.  We 
recognize and support the need for greater efficiency, in our own 
programs and in OSCE missions.  We ask the Department to consider, 
however, whether the PIA has not already met that demand.  USG 
priorities for Albania, and likely for the western Balkans, may be 
achieved better with the continued level of support for the PIA than 
without it. 
WITHERS