KAZAKHSTAN: BORDER SECURITY DONOR MEETING

UNCLAS ASTANA 001973 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN (OMARA),INL/AAE (BUHLER),ISN/ECC (HARTSHORNE), SCA/RA (CUMMINGS),CENTCOM FOR MALCOM AND ROESNER, DHS FOR CBP - GLYNCO SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: BORDER SECURITY DONOR MEETING ¶1. On July 16, Embassy Astana's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Section hosted a Border Security Donor Coordination Meeting. Participants included the Deputy Head of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from Tashkent, the European Union Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA), the Office of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Post's offices of Military Cooperation (OMC),Defense Threat Reduction (DTRO),Export Control and Border Security (EXBS). The participants agreed to create a common database of equipment and training provided to the Border Guards (INL will create and maintain the database),share a list of events planned for the year, and conduct future Donor Coordination Meetings with the participation of the Border Guard Service of the Committee for National Security. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. At a June 27 meeting with INL Officer and visiting ISN/ECC officer (EXBS),General Berkaliyev, First Deputy Head of the Border Guard Service of the Committee for National Security, agreed to regular border assistance coordination meetings with interested donors. To lay the groundwork for future meetings, INL hosted a preparatory meeting of donors to work out a common approach for cooperation with the Border Guard Service. -------------- WAY FORWARD -------------- ¶3. The donors jointly decided that it would be convenient for all donors to participate in a common database of equipment and training provided to the Border Guard Service. Zhuldyz Akisheva, UNODC Deputy Regional Representative for Central Asia proposed modeling the database on the existing web-based Paris Pact database. INL Officer pointed out that that the donors would likely want a simple, nimble system. Furthermore, donors agreed to share annual plans, conduct joint assessment trips, and distribute trip reports and assessments in order to avoid duplication and overlapping projects. The next meeting was scheduled for September, after the August holiday recess. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. As with the counter-narcotics donor coordination meeting reported septel, having enough participants resident in Astana to conduct coordination meetings is a necessary and welcome first step in the effort to maximize impact of scarce program funding. If enthusiasm and energy are any indication, the future looks bright. Conducting the next meeting with the participation of the traditionally insular Border Guards will be the true test of future cooperation. MILAS