VZCZCXRO3283
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 
 
ZAGREB 00000713  002 OF 002 
 
 
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