Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DUSHANBE908
2006-05-18 12:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIKISTAN: CN CONFERENCE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000908
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL, S/P
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: CN CONFERENCE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS
DUSHANBE 00000908 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000908
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL, S/P
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: CN CONFERENCE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS
DUSHANBE 00000908 001.2 OF 002
1. The International Conference on Counter-Narcotics and the
second Meeting of the Central and South Asia Counter Narcotics
Security Working Group participants met May 15-17 in Tajikistan
to deliberate and recommend best approaches to improved border
cooperation to halt the flow of narcotics out of Afghanistan.
Representatives from all Central Asian countries, except
Uzbekistan, participated in the working group. Afghanistan and
Pakistan also took an active role in the working group.
Conference participants from the United States, UK, Germany,
ISAF, the George Marshall European Center for Security Studies,
and the United Nations Office of Drug Control were observers.
2. Building on their last meeting in Garmish-Partenkirchen,
working group participants of the Capacity Building Sub-Group
drafted recommendations with the aim of improving regional
security through integrated monitoring and detection systems and
by providing cross-training. Although noting the working group
accomplished its goal, Tajik Border Guard Chairman General
Saidamir Zurhurov recommended future working groups and plans be
more precise and concrete. The document has been unanimously
adopted as a road map for future cooperation and a basis for
future discussions.
3. The following is a summary of the Capacity Building
Sub-Group's recommendations to the Senior Executive Council.
4. One recommendation is to improve cross-border cooperation by
using common communications systems, conduct joint operations
and patrolling and exchanging information.
5. Border management can be improved by coordinating the
activities of various organizations such as UNODC, CARICC,
BOMCA, IOM and others. Some of the group's suggestions also
include providing salary supplements for border agencies and
exploring the need to reform border agencies, establishing
mobile detection teams, and integrating agencies.
6. Some countries have already exchanged drug liaison officers.
The working group recommended increased exchanges would bolster
crucial information sharing as well. It suggested senior
leaders in countries such as Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,
and Kazakhstan who have had successful exchanges share their
experiences. The group envisions liaison officers to first
operate at the border or DCA offices. In the future more senior
officers can be exchanged between embassies or ministries.
7. The group also recommended counter-narcotics infrastructure
such as roads, border crossings, and border outposts be
renovated in addition to constructing new facilities. New
technical equipment such as radios, vehicles, aviation
equipment, drug dogs, and computers are also needed. The
important element is that all the equipment between borders be
compatible.
8. The group identified regional and joint training at the
intermediate and advanced level as a priority for regional
security. One possibility is to establish one central institute
for the region where all officers can be trained. Another is to
send mobile training teams to teach a common curriculum
throughout the region.
9. One key action is to stop the flow of precursor chemicals
into Afghanistan from neighboring countries. To do so would
require a multi-pronged approach including distributing chemical
testing kits to border crossing points, examining legal
mechanisms to stop chemical importation and prosecute illegal
suppliers, and mapping out the network of suppliers and routes
used to import precursors into Afghanistan.
DUSHANBE 00000908 002.2 OF 002
10. Timely information and intelligence sharing is critical to
border operations. The working group recommends that the
Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre
(CARICC) serve as the backbone for intelligence-sharing efforts,
and designated Pakistan to take the lead in developing a
sub-working group to begin implementation. CARICC is
headquartered in Almaty and is designed to facilitate
information sharing among member states. Participants suggested
CARICC invite Pakistan and Afghanistan to become members. Some
ideas to improve information sharing include establishing a
common database and nominating points of contact within each
country.
11. The group tentatively set the next conference to be held in
Almaty, Kazakhstan, in November 2006.
12. COMMENT: Although the group did a good job of stating
concrete recommendations and delineating steps forward, some
conference participants were skeptical all goals will be
realized. Many of the activities will require large amounts of
donor assistance to start and sustain the projects. In
addition, political will in each country is needed for action.
This is the second time the working group has met. Its success
will be measured in the next meeting to see how many
recommendations have been implemented. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL, S/P
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: CN CONFERENCE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS
DUSHANBE 00000908 001.2 OF 002
1. The International Conference on Counter-Narcotics and the
second Meeting of the Central and South Asia Counter Narcotics
Security Working Group participants met May 15-17 in Tajikistan
to deliberate and recommend best approaches to improved border
cooperation to halt the flow of narcotics out of Afghanistan.
Representatives from all Central Asian countries, except
Uzbekistan, participated in the working group. Afghanistan and
Pakistan also took an active role in the working group.
Conference participants from the United States, UK, Germany,
ISAF, the George Marshall European Center for Security Studies,
and the United Nations Office of Drug Control were observers.
2. Building on their last meeting in Garmish-Partenkirchen,
working group participants of the Capacity Building Sub-Group
drafted recommendations with the aim of improving regional
security through integrated monitoring and detection systems and
by providing cross-training. Although noting the working group
accomplished its goal, Tajik Border Guard Chairman General
Saidamir Zurhurov recommended future working groups and plans be
more precise and concrete. The document has been unanimously
adopted as a road map for future cooperation and a basis for
future discussions.
3. The following is a summary of the Capacity Building
Sub-Group's recommendations to the Senior Executive Council.
4. One recommendation is to improve cross-border cooperation by
using common communications systems, conduct joint operations
and patrolling and exchanging information.
5. Border management can be improved by coordinating the
activities of various organizations such as UNODC, CARICC,
BOMCA, IOM and others. Some of the group's suggestions also
include providing salary supplements for border agencies and
exploring the need to reform border agencies, establishing
mobile detection teams, and integrating agencies.
6. Some countries have already exchanged drug liaison officers.
The working group recommended increased exchanges would bolster
crucial information sharing as well. It suggested senior
leaders in countries such as Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,
and Kazakhstan who have had successful exchanges share their
experiences. The group envisions liaison officers to first
operate at the border or DCA offices. In the future more senior
officers can be exchanged between embassies or ministries.
7. The group also recommended counter-narcotics infrastructure
such as roads, border crossings, and border outposts be
renovated in addition to constructing new facilities. New
technical equipment such as radios, vehicles, aviation
equipment, drug dogs, and computers are also needed. The
important element is that all the equipment between borders be
compatible.
8. The group identified regional and joint training at the
intermediate and advanced level as a priority for regional
security. One possibility is to establish one central institute
for the region where all officers can be trained. Another is to
send mobile training teams to teach a common curriculum
throughout the region.
9. One key action is to stop the flow of precursor chemicals
into Afghanistan from neighboring countries. To do so would
require a multi-pronged approach including distributing chemical
testing kits to border crossing points, examining legal
mechanisms to stop chemical importation and prosecute illegal
suppliers, and mapping out the network of suppliers and routes
used to import precursors into Afghanistan.
DUSHANBE 00000908 002.2 OF 002
10. Timely information and intelligence sharing is critical to
border operations. The working group recommends that the
Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre
(CARICC) serve as the backbone for intelligence-sharing efforts,
and designated Pakistan to take the lead in developing a
sub-working group to begin implementation. CARICC is
headquartered in Almaty and is designed to facilitate
information sharing among member states. Participants suggested
CARICC invite Pakistan and Afghanistan to become members. Some
ideas to improve information sharing include establishing a
common database and nominating points of contact within each
country.
11. The group tentatively set the next conference to be held in
Almaty, Kazakhstan, in November 2006.
12. COMMENT: Although the group did a good job of stating
concrete recommendations and delineating steps forward, some
conference participants were skeptical all goals will be
realized. Many of the activities will require large amounts of
donor assistance to start and sustain the projects. In
addition, political will in each country is needed for action.
This is the second time the working group has met. Its success
will be measured in the next meeting to see how many
recommendations have been implemented. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND