TAJIK BORDER UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 000410 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL, PM E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/14/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR RS TI SUBJECT: TAJIK BORDER UPDATE REF: DUSHANBE 390 CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy Dushanbe, State. REASON: 1.4 (b) ¶1. (SBU) This begins a series of cables summarizing Tajikistan's border security developments and activities of Embassy Dushanbe's Border Law Enforcement Working Group (BLEWG). Led by the DCM, with participation from the Senior Law Enforcement Advisor (SLEA),the EXBS advisor, the Defense Attachi's Office (DAO),Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC), Pol/Econ, Pol/Mil and others, the BLEWG is an interagency working established in 2005 to coordinate all aspects of USG border security assistance. This cable covers activities for February 2006. ¶2. (SBU) At the February 16 meeting of the Border Interagency Group (BIG),donor agencies formed a Canine Working group to better coordinate assistance with donors and government ministries and avoid duplication of efforts. Currently, the Ministry of Interior (MOI),Drug Control Agency (DCA),and Border Guards all have drug-detecting programs, but there has been no coordination or decision at the government level about who would run or fund dog centers, provide veterinary care or training. SLEA will work with UN Office of Drug Control (UNODC) and other major donors to standardize the dog programs. Donors also agreed to from a training committee to coordinate all law enforcement training. ¶3. (U) Ambassador Hoagland and Russian Ambassador Abdulatipov attended the graduation of Ministry of Interior trainees February 17. A Swedish-Russian contractor conducted the U.S.-funded training at a MOI new criminal intelligence center in Dushanbe ¶4. (C) At a private reception in his honor February 20, General Zuhurov, Chairman of the State Border Protection Committee, highlighted the United States' close relationship with Tajikistan and Russia's waning influence with the Border Guards. The dynamics of the private reception indicated that for all the press attention on Russian assistance and cooperation, the Border guards consider the United States a true ally (reftel). ¶5. (SBU) General Zuhurov told SLEA his trip to the United States, tentatively scheduled for March, has been postponed until June. Presidential Advisor Rahmatulloyev confirmed to the Ambassador the President's Office preferred Zuhurov travel in June, after the May Counternarcotics Conference. ¶6. (SBU) Planning continues for the May CENTCOM/Marshall Center sponsored Counternarcotics Conference, which the Tajiks continue to enthusiastically support. ¶7. (SBU) SLEA reports helicopter and truck deliveries of the $3.2 million of food, fuel and uniforms continue at a slow, but steady pace to border posts (zastavas) along the Tajik-Afghan border in Moscovskiy district. The Border Guards took possession of eight U.S.-funded ambulances to operate at each of the eight border posts identified for U.S. assistance. ¶8. (SBU) SLEA and EmbOff completed an assessment Khurmanjo border post February 19. This pilot renovation project will serve as a model for future and is scheduled to begin construction in late spring. ¶9. (U) Drug interdictions for February (as reported by the Tajik Press): 160 kg of heroin, raw opium and cannabis in four raids by the DCA, Border Guards and Ministry of Interior. HOAGLAND