PORTAL MONITOR TRAINING, CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE -

UNCLAS BAKU 000741

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NP/ECC - PVANSON, ACHURCH, CCRAFT AND KMILLER; DEPT FOR
EUR/ACE DMARTIN; CBP/INA FOR RWATT AND CDONOFRIO; USDOE/NNSA FOR


DHUIZENGA, TPERRY, RTALLEY, AND KGARNER; DOC FOR PETERSEN-BEARD

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PBTS PREL KSTC KNNP RU AJ
SUBJECT: PORTAL MONITOR TRAINING, CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE -
AZERBAIJAN



1. SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) and the IAEA have
provided, and continue to provide, radiation detection equipment
and training to two different agencies within the Government of
Azerbaijan resulting in a fragmented approach to the detection of
radioactive material transiting the borders. Thanks to USG
efforts - including a May 8 DOE site survey -- verbal commitments
have now been obtained from both agencies for a third,
scientifically qualified agency to conduct joint training of
personnel and to standardize the maintenance of equipment. END
SUMMARY

2. On December 8, 2005, DOE, as part of the Second Line of
Defense (SLD) program, signed an Implementing Arrangement with the
Azerbaijani State Border Service, aka Border Guard (BG),for
installatio of radiation portal monitors on the borders of
Azerbaijan. The DOE/BG Arrangement also provdes a monitor for
operational training, equipment maintenance, spare parts, and test
equipment. IAEA is engaged in donating similar radiation
detection equipment to the GOA, but works through the State
Customs Committee (Customs). Dialogue and cooperation between
these government agencies is known to be less than full, which
creates a high potential for inconsistencies in placement,
training, operating procedures and maintenance of this equipment.


3. On May 8, a DOE site survey team led by Program Officer Kate
Garner, met with General Farhad Tagizadeh, officer in charge of
the BG's Department of International Relations. Also attending
were Doctors Garibov and Gabulov, Director and Deputy Director,
respectively, of the Institute of Radiation Problems (IRP),
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, and the EXBS resident
advisor. IRP is the agency that has been designated to identify,
transport, and store radioactive sources detected within
Azerbaijan. EXBS/Baku had previously recommended that IRP
technicians be trained and equipped to calibrate and repair the
ever increasing numbers of handheld radiation detection and
related equipment donated by multiple sources to several Azeri
agencies. Funding and implementation of this project is in
progress and will place the responsibility for continuing and
consistent maintenance of these machines squarely where it
belongs, in a scientifically competent Azeri agency. Customs
Chairman Aliyev previously agreed to joint training with the BG
and IRP maintenance of Customs owned equipment.



4. As part of the in-depth SLD briefing and discussion, General
Tagizadeh verbally agreed to the following:


A. Individual training sessions will include Border
Customs officers from the same facility.

B. IRP personnel will receive train-the-trainer instruction
under the arrangement. All subsequent training will be conducted
by IRP.

C. IRP will ultimately be responsible for calibration and
maintenance of the portal monitors provided.

D. Ms. Garner may discuss implementing actions relative to this
arrangement with the EU and IAEA.


Follow-through on these four items will tend to ensure optimum
placement, calibration and maintenance of equipment across donor
lines, provide operational consistency across agency lines, and
improve interagency cooperation at individual ports of entry.



5. Director Garibov accepted the responsibilities conveyed to
IRP, predicated on the receipt of appropriate training and
equipment. We believe this agreement will solve some of the
coordination problems that have existed.


6. POC for this report is Charles Hiscock, EXBS Advisor.


HYLAND