VZCZCXRO2504
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTI #0243/01 1071136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171136Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8045
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2474
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0803
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000243 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE J.ISMAIL 
TREASURY FOR V.ATUKORALA 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: EFIN ECON PGOV AL
SUBJECT:  BECHTEL TO GOA: DON'T OPEN THE DURRES-KUKES ROAD IN JUNE 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  (Note:  Please close-hold names and references to 
Bechtel executives.  End note.)  Mike Adams, President of Bechtel 
Civil, and Synon Tara, President of Bechtel's partner Anka in the 
Durres-Kukes road construction project, called on Prime Minister 
Berisha on April 16 to tell him they thought it was a bad idea to 
open the highway in June.  Berisha has been flaunting the highway as 
one of his government's major successes and plans to open it with a 
gala ribbon cutting ceremony just days before the June 28 
Parliamentary elections.  While Bechtel believes they can open the 
highway to limited use, i.e. one-way guided traffic in some areas, 
the executives will try to convince the PM that opening the highway 
before October, when both carriageways should be complete, will add 
to the cost of the highway, delay final completion, and possibly 
compromise safety.  In addition, they are concerned that the 
inevitable backups this summer, as Kosovar tourists use the 
unfinished highway to get to beach resorts, will result in bad 
publicity.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Bechtel Vice President of Infrastructure Carl Strock told 
econoff on April 16 that he and his boss Mike Adams (President, 
Bechtel Civil) are in Tirana for a meeting with Prime Minister 
Berisha.  Synon Tara, president of Bechtel's Turkish partner in the 
road project Anka will also participate.  They will try to convince 
Berisha that the road should not be opened until October, when both 
carriageways should be completed.  Strock cited the following 
reasons to delay opening: 
 
-- The "north bore" of the tunnel will not have a "hole through" 
(drilling teams from opposite sides meet for the first time) until 
May 22, behind schedule due to unforeseen construction 
difficulties. 
 
-- Several bridges will need bypasses until they can be redesigned 
and rebuilt, also due to unforeseen terrain problems. 
 
-- The GOA was supposed to issue a tender for a "tunnel operator" 
who would provide police, fire, escort and supervision support.  The 
tender was delayed and is now expected to be issued May 19.  The 
tunnel cannot be used without a responsible operator. 
 
-- Working on the highway while traffic is on it increases risk and 
cost and reduces construction efficiency. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Strock said that Adams will tell Berisha that Bechtel 
expects a continuous ribbon of asphalt to be laid down by June 27, 
although traffic will have to be guided through the tunnel in one 
direction at a time and may also have to be guided around the 
bypasses.  Bechtel could open the road under those conditions if 
Berisha insists, but would prefer not to for cost and safety 
reasons.  Bechtel would be willing to operate the tunnel with GOA 
police and fire support until a permanent operator can be selected. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Bechtel understands the pressure Berisha is under to open 
the road.  Strock referred to Edi Rama's claim that Berisha had lied 
about completing the highway before elections and that it would be 
opened by a Socialist PM.  However, Strock estimated that opening 
the highway in June would add at least 15 million euro to the cost 
versus opening it in October.  Also, there could be bad press from 
the anticipated heavy traffic from Kosovo over the summer, which 
would be subject to considerable traffic delays on the uncompleted 
road. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Strock said that the Director of Roads in the MOT, and 
probably Minister of Transport Olldashi himself, believes the 
opening should be delayed until October for safety reasons, but 
doesn't think anyone wants to take this message to the PM.  Strock 
also thinks that the Director of Roads might find himself in legal 
trouble if he signed a contract addendum for additional cost and was 
later accused of authorizing unnecessary expenses to benefit 
Berisha's campaign. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Strock estimated final completion sometime next spring or 
summer.  Although the project will be very profitable for Bechtel, 
he said one of the reasons costs have escalated so much is that the 
original estimate for excavation was 7 million metric tons, which 
grew to 14 million by the time the contract was awarded and 
currently stands at 32 million metric tons. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT:  It is unfortunate that this highway, which will 
certainly bring economic development to villages along its 
right-of-way, attract traffic to Albania's ports and beaches, and 
 
TIRANA 00000243  002 OF 002 
 
 
help the economies of Kosovo and Macedonia, has become such a 
political hot potato.  During a visit to the construction site last 
fall, Berisha decided he wanted the tunnel lined along the entire 
length instead of the first and last 500 meters as originally 
planned, adding millions to the cost and delaying completion for the 
sake of appearance alone.  Ironically, the GOA decided against 
spending additional money for safety fencing along the highway, 
allowing villagers and their livestock to share the road and bridges 
with vehicles travelling 120 km/hour. 
 
CRISTINA