EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ALMATY 001664

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH, ACUMMINGS
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE RBUCK
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN JMUDGE
CBP/INA FOR BWATT AND CDONOFRIO
USDOE/NNSA TPERRY, CWALKER, EDESCHLER
DOC FOR DCREED AND PETERSON-BEARD
USCG FOR CWILSON
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE FOR EXBS
ADVISORS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP KZ
SUBJECT: EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE
(APRIL 2006)


I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS:


1. The paper shredder at the Export Control and
Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) Program office
has been working overtime of late. May 2006 will be the
office's last full month in Kazakhstan's "southern capital"
of Almaty and over the last weekend in June EXBS Kazakhstan
will relocate hundreds of miles across the steppe to the
Astana Embassy Branch Office (EBO). The office will remain
at the EBO until it relocates once again in early September
2006, when the New Embassy Compound is scheduled to open.


2. EXBS Kazakhstan has spent considerable time
this month grappling with and eventually overcoming
bureaucratic hurdles related to the delivery of the three
Safe Boats. The arrangements for next month's boat
turnover ceremony in Aktau also required substantial time,
as did preparations for next month's regional export
control forum in Tbilisi, and upcoming National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA) events.

II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD


A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED


1. April 17 - EXBS Advisor Offenbacher attended an
introductory meeting with two representatives of the
"Garant Methodological Center," Commonwealth Trading
Partners' (CTP) new subcontractor for its Product
Identification Tool and Administrative Enforcement projects
in Kazakhstan. "Garant" Director Galym Berkinbayev and
Project Manager Bauyzhan Namazov spoke about their
company's history and current activities and shared ideas
about how to move the two CTP projects forward. They both
concurred that a letter introducing their company to the
appropriate ministries in Astana should help move the two
projects forward. EXBS Kazakhstan is working with CTP to
ensure that the letters of introduction are delivered.


2. April 23 - Advisor Offenbacher met with several
NNSA travelers while they were in Almaty on their way to
Bishkek to conduct a WMD Commodity Identification Training
course. The group discussed the International
Nonproliferation Export Control Program's (INECP) upcoming
events in Kazakhstan planned for May (in Kyzylorda) and
June (in Astana).


3. April 28-30 - EXBS Advisor traveled to Aktau to
assist with the final stage of the Safe Boat delivery, meet
with representatives of the Border Service's Maritime
Division, and lay the groundwork for the mid-May Safe Boat
turnover ceremony. Advisor Offenbacher accompanied Rodney
Patton of U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater International and
EXBS Regional Maritime Advisor Mike Taffe all three days to
complete the delivery and discuss maintenance options for
both the Sea Ark boat and Safe Boats. Maritime Border
Guard Commander Kenzhemergen Abikeyev, Captain Yerlik
Smagulov and Lieutenant Commander Kirill Ivanov had large
number of specific questions about the Safe Boats that the
team did their best to answer. Commander Abikeyev agreed
to a follow-on meeting with a local contractor at a later
date to discuss the terms of the maintenance contract in
more detail.


B. TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


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1. April 24-28 - Gulnara Abildaeva, EXBS Program
Coordinator, attended two back-to-back trainings in
Stockholm, Sweden on administering grants and cooperative
agreements.


C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


1. SAFE BOAT DELIVERY - In mid-April, more than one
month after their arrival in Aktau, the three 42-foot fast
response boats were granted customs clearance. The EXBS
office worked with the Port of Aktau, the Customs Control
Committee in Astana and Aktau Regional Customs office,
Kazakhstan's Border Service and other Kazakhstani
governmental agencies to obtain the release of the boats.
Post's support was instrumental in obtaining the positive
outcome. Both the Department's and the U.S. Coast Guard's
assistance and patience are most appreciated.

On April 28 the boats were lowered into the water by crane
at the Port of Aktau. The following day a container with
spare parts and three boat trailers were delivered to the
Maritime Border Guard base in Bautino. Although there was
some minor damage to the boats that occurred during
transport, none of the problems degraded the vessels'
seaworthiness. The transportation service provider will
ensure that the damaged parts of the boat are repaired.


D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE


1. CENTRAL ASIA AND CAUCASUS REGIONAL FORUM ON EXPORT
CONTROL - Kazakhstan will send six delegates to the U.S.
Department of Commerce's May 16-18 regional event in
Tbilisi, Georgia. The Center for Nonproliferation Studies
NIS Representative Office's Director Dauren Aben, a
Kazakhstani, will also travel to attend the forum.


2. TRACKER - The Department employees managing the
Tracker (license processing software) program will meet
with Kazakhstani export control officials at the May
Tbilisi Export Control Forum to gauge Kazakhstan's interest
in the program. In anticipation of the meeting this office
has forwarded a questionnaire to the Ministry of Industry
and Trade to provide the Tracker team with information on
the ministry's IT infrastructure and licensing process.


3. SAFE BOAT CEMEMONY - A turnover ceremony for the
boats will be held the morning of May 18 in Aktau. EXBS
Advisor Offenbacher is the Control Officer for the twenty
four-hour schedule. Other events planned for the Aktau
trip include a tour of the decommissioned BN-350 nuclear
reactor and a press conference at the city's Naval
Institute.


4. INTERNAL COMPLIANCE WORKSHOP - NNSA INECP
representatives will participate in this internal
compliance outreach event for South Kazakhstan and
Kyzylorda oblast uranium producers from May 23-25 in
Kyzylorda.


5. NUCLEAR SMUGGLING INITIATIVE, PART II - The State
Department's Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction within
the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
is spearheading this interagency effort. An as yet
unconfirmed date of May 25 has been set for a follow-on
meeting to February's US-Kazakhstani talks on combating
nuclear smuggling. EXBS Kazakhstan intends to participate

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in the talks. The issue of nuclear smuggling is likely to
receive heightened attention in the coming months if -- as
now appears likely -- the Second Line of Defense
Implementing Agreement is signed by Kazakhstan.


6. X-RAY FLUORESENCE UNITS - On June 14-15, the NNSA's
INECP will conduct a course on XRF metal analyzers for
Kazakhstani customs inspectors and instructors. XRF units
can be used to analyze metals and alloys to help determine
whether they have a strategic use. The training will be
taught by experts from Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory and will be held in Astana. Three XRF units
will be transferred to Kazakhstan's Customs Control
Committee upon the conclusion of the training.


7. END-USE/END-USER ANALYSIS WORKSHOP - The NNSA's
INECP will hold this workshop for export control licensing
officials in Astana on June 15-16.


8. INTERNATIONAL BORDER INTERDICTION TRAINING (IBIT 1)
- EXBS Kazakhstan received eight names from the Border
Guard Service (including three instructors from the
Military Academy's Border Control Faculty),but is still
waiting for Customs to provide their list of participants
to attend the July training in Texas and New Mexico.


9. SPARE PARTS FOR SEA ARK BOAT - The parts should
arrive in Aktau in early May. Mike Taffe of EXBS Baku is
working to identify a vendor who can perform diagnostic
tests and conduct maintenance on the Sea Ark vessel.


E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS,
NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY


1. None.


F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION


1. EXBS Kazakhstan corresponds and coordinates with
representatives of CENTCOM counter-narcotics and the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency's WMD Proliferation
Prevention Initiative on their engagement with Kazakhstan's
maritime forces.

Please also see sections A (paragraph 3),C (paragraph
1),and D (paragraphs 3 and 9) above.

III. RED FLAG ISSUES.

None.

The point of contact for this report is Andrew S.
Offenbacher, EXBS Advisor, OffenbacherAS@state.gov, tel:
+7(3272)504945, cell: +7(333)225-1156.

ORDWAY