EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ASTANA 000333

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE RBUCK
DEPT FOR SCA/RA JSCHLOSSER
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN MO'MARA
CBP/INA FOR CDONOFRIO AND RWATT
USDOE/NNSA CWALKER, TPERRY AND EDESCHLER
DOC FOR DCREED AND GPETERSEN-BEARD
USCG FOR BGOLDEN
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE AND ASHGABAT FOR EXBS
ADVISORS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP KZ
SUBJECT: EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE
(JANUARY 2007)


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


1. Aktau Safe-Boat meeting. EXBS, INL, and OMC will meet with
the Kazakhstani Border Guard leadership in Aktau February 4-7. The
meeting is to establish a clear way-forward on a number of ongoing
issues associated with the Spring 2006 EXBS donation of the three
Safe-Boats. Topics include maintenance and possible DoD monies for
supporting the Border Guard's maritime mission. While there, EXBS
will inspect the state of the boats (including winterization and
hull painting),assess mission performance, and conduct a Border
Post Survey at Sagyndy - the site of an EXBS Border Guard shelter
donated in 2003. This meeting is essential, as it will not only
address a number of open issues with all the key players present,
but also provide an opportunity to deconflict multiple Kazakhstani
Border Guard requests that have been received by EXBS, OMC, INL, and
DTRA.


2. Department of Energy Software Upgrades. Kazakhstani Customs
has approved the dates of March 19-23 and April 9-13, 2006, for the
Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct necessary software
installation and upgrades to 3-each portable X-ray Florescence (XRF)
metal analyzers. DOE/INECP will send an NTSC representative to the
three concerned border posts near China to update the software and
operating system used to power the three x-ray analyzers that were
provided to Kazakhstan Customs earlier in June of 2006. EXBS,
together with the NTSC representative, will also review how the
units are being used at the ports of entry.


3. False kidnapping alert. The EXBS office responded to a
potential kidnapping report the week of January 8. EXBS expended a
tremendous amount of effort soliciting the Border Guard to alert all
crossings for the suspected missing individual. The report turned
out to be based on a misunderstanding.


4. Annual EXBS Financial Plan for Kazakhstan. A tentative meeting
has been scheduled for February 2 to settle the Plan and obtain
guidance for Kazakhstan's EXBS 2006 engagement focus and spending
concept. This plan will allow the EXBS Advisor to meet with key
Customs and Border Guard leadership with substantial and value-added
joint activities and present the EXBS office's Border Survey
Schedule for 2007, planned to resume in February.


5. EXBS Presentation. EXBS Advisor and staff continue to make
progress in creating a generic EXBS presentation for Kazakhstan.
This product is intended to be kept perpetually up to date with the
history of the program in Kazakhstan, accomplishments, mission, and
future direction. It is intended to be used on those occasions when
the EXBS Advisor is asked to speak at various events or when key
visitors need to be briefed on program efforts.


6. Award nomination. EXBS Advisor nominated Gulnara Abildaeva for
a Superior Honor Award for consistently high performance in her
position with the EXBS program since its beginning in Kazakhstan.
The award nomination must be evaluated by an Embassy committee
before the nomination can ultimately be approved. Simply put,
Gulnara has done an excellent job for the EXBS program.


7. Annual EXBS questionnaire. The EXBS Advisor will contact the
appropriate EXBS personnel in Washington to gauge the relevance of
the perceived annual questionnaire given to the host government to
gauge the state of Customs and Border Control efforts. Prior to
issuing the questionnaire on-hand, a number of questions were noted
by the EXBS Advisor regarding the methodology associated with

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completing the questionnaire. Guidance will be sought from
Washington in February.

II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD


A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED


1. Volunteer Visitor Program. On January 17, the EXBS Advisor,
Mike Seguin, met with the Customs Chairman, Askar Shakirov, to
discuss the proposed agenda for the upcoming Volunteer Visitor
Program, tentatively planned for April or May. Mr. Shakirov liked
the proposed itinerary and asked that we meet in February to firm up
dates and settle on the rest of the delegation representatives -
tentatively set for February 8. The basic plan is to visit
operational posts on the U.S. Southern and Northern borders to give
the Chairman and his staff some examples of how the U.S. conducts
border operations and the challenges the U.S. faces.


B. TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


1. Product Identification Training (PIT),January 16-19. PIT was
conducted in the City of Pavlodar January 16-19. Representatives of
the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as various other
government and non-government organizations, attended training
designed to improve Kazakhstan's licensing programs, which control
the movement of dual-use and other sensitive materials in and out of
Kazakhstan. This training focuses on the identification of nuclear,
biological, and chemical materials, the use of Kazakhstan's software
and licensing systems to identify materials, what to do if
questionable materials are suspected at Border Crossings, as well as
methods of processing licensing applications. Kazakhstani Customs
officials requested that two more trainings like this one be
conducted in the Western and Northern Kazakhstan Oblasts.


C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


1. No equipment delivered during this reporting period.


D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE


1. Joint Table-Top Exercise. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency
(DTRA) is conducting a table top exercise the week of February 12 in
Aktau. This exercise involves the Border Guard and the MoD working
together on several different interdiction scenarios that represent
the type of border security work that these organizations do in the
Caspian region. This exercise is significant as the various U.S.
agencies attempt to bring the Border Guard and MoD together to
harmonize all their Caspian security missions - EXBS, INL, DoD, and
DTRA. It cannot be overstated how difficult it is getting the
Kazakhstani Border Guard and MoD to nest their missions within one
another. Increased cooperation between the Border Guard and the MoD
would enhance the both organizations' non-proliferation missions,
thus advancing EXBS interests. Collective reinforcement of this
effort by U.S. agencies (EXBS, DTRA, OMC, DoD) is important to
achieving jointness within Kazakhstani agencies that have Caspian
non-proliferation security missions.


2. Administrative Enforcement training postponed. Administrative
Enforcement training planned in January has been rescheduled for the
week of February 28. This training, in Astana, will be followed by
Product Identification Training (PIT) on March 5-7. The training
was moved from January to February because Kazakhstani Customs did
not prepare the course materials in time to accommodate the

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training. Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP),a Department of
Commerce contractor, will execute this training, which is highly
regarded and relevant to enhancing Custom's capacity to support the
EXBS goal of non-proliferation.


3. International Seaport Interdiction Training February 9-18.
Eighteen representatives of the Kazakhstani Border Guard and Customs
agencies will participate in International Seaport Interdiction
Training (ISIT) in South Carolina February 9-18 (including travel).
This training is key to training junior and mid-level officers on
systems and methods associated with identifying and interdicting
suspected WMD movement in the vicinity of Kazakhstan's seaports on
the Caspian Sea. Gulnara Abildaeva, EXBS Program Manager, will
accompany the group and report the degree of event success upon her
return. The coordination for an event of this magnitude is massive
and time consuming. Vetting, visas, and logistics required for an
event of this size take least two months of preparation before
execution. At this time, all preparations have been made and the
event is scheduled to commence as planned.


4. Bucharest Export Control Conference. The EXBS Office sent a Dip
Note to the Ministry of Foreign affairs inviting a delegation to the
annual Export Control Conference in Bucharest, Romania, March 6-8.
EXBS is presently waiting for the names candidate attendees in order
to make the logistical arrangements and process visas.


5. Night Vision Goggles. In support of the U.S. Government's Blue
Lantern Program, the EXBS office conducted an administrative
inventory of all Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) previously donated to
the Kazakhstani Border Guard and Customs Agencies. Since the NVGs
are deployed throughout Kazakhstan, a physical inventory was not
practical. However, all NVGs were accounted for by serial number
and reported in accordance with Blue Lantern regulations. Note that
this was reported completed in December; however, EXBS subsequently
received and forwarded an additional request for an official
front-channel cable.


6. Task Order 79 Donation. Task Order 79 for the EXBS donation of
Ural Trucks and Border Guard Shelters is nearing fruition. It is
expected that these donations will occur in March or April; however,
definite delivery dates have not yet been determined. The
Ambassador will be asked to participate in a dedication ceremony at
an appropriate time. Additionally, EXBS-DC is investigating the
possibility of modifying the Task Order to include "complete"
shelter installation rather than "partial" installation. Also, EXBS
has requested the supplying contractor to change the ship point of
the Ural trucks. These changes are considered very desirable and
are recommended by the EXBS office in Kazakhstan.


7. X-Ray Van Repairs. A message was sent and reply received from
Kazahstani Customs for the repair of two Kazakhstani and one
Uzbekistan-donated X-Ray vans. EXBS plans to support and conduct
repairs for the last time in April. It is important that the EXBS
Advisor in Kazakhstan not coordinate the government-to-government
approvals necessary to get the Uzbekistan van into Kazakhstani
territory. This should be coordinated at the D.C. EXBS level.


8. Preliminary Second Line of Defense (SLD) site survey. Mr. Erik
Deschler (DOE) expressed a desire to establish a schedule to conduct
preliminary site surveys for the SLD program's installation of
Portal Monitors. It is expected that this schedule will be approved
by the Kazakhstani government after the contract has been signed for
the purchase and installation of the equipment. Though not

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confirmed at this moment, the EXBS Advisor believes the required
contracts have in fact been signed and Kazakhstan Customs can now be
approached for the desired schedule.


9. Fiber Scope Repairs. Carla D'Onofrio of DHS/CBP has funding to
repair various EXBS donated equipment, such as the previously
donated fiber scopes. The EXBS Office will contact Carla to gauge
her capacity to support repairs which Kazakhstani Customs requested
be conducted in February.


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


1. World Customs Conference, January 16-19. Kazakhstan hosted
the World Customs Organization (WCO) for Central Asian countries
January 16-19. This event was hosted by the Kazakhstani Customs
Chairman Askar Shakirov. All Central Asian countries were present,
as well as special guests, including the Ambassador of Japan, the
General Secretary of the WCO, as well as delegations from the rest
of the world customs community. Many Kazakhstani officials spoke
from every corner of Kazakhstan's Customs Organization. The most
important outcome of the event was Kazakhstan's pronouncements
regarding corruption. The Customs speakers uniformly acknowledged
that Kazakhstan has much work to do on this issue, and stated their
commitment to adhere to internationally accepted conventions and
procedures to fight corruption. The speakers also communicated
clearly why corruption is counter-productive to Kazakhstan's
interests. The underlying message of the conference was that
Kazakhstan understands why corruption needs to be attacked. A very
good event. Kazakhstan wants to be seen as a leader and model in
Central Asia in managing regional customs affairs.


2. UNSCR 1718. William Tobey, Deputy Administrator, National
Nuclear Security Administration, and accompanying delegation,
visited with the Kazakhstani Customs leadership January 24 to
discuss UNSCR 1718 and reinforce the urgency of interdicting North
Korean attempts to proliferate WMDs. The meeting was set up with
very little lead-time and, unfortunately, the Customs Chairman,
Askar Shakirov, was unable to attend the meeting. However, the
Chairman's Deputy, Baurzhan Abdishev, and the rest of his staff
attended the meeting. Since Mr. Shakirov was unable to attend this
meeting, the EXBS office will reinforce Mr. Tobey's message to Mr.
Shakirov during a February 8 meeting regarding the Volunteer
Visitors Program for Customs officials.


3. Article about Georgian seizure of suspect carrying Highly
Enriched Uranium (HEU). An associated press story, released January
24, described a Summer 2006 Georgian sting operation which, using
intelligence and law enforcement officials from the U.S. and
Georgia, captured a Russian man carrying a small amount of HEU.
According to the Associated Press, the story was released publicly
because of the Minister's frustration with the Russian government
and their lack of cooperation in identifying where the suspect
obtained the HEU. This story underscores the many facets of the
international threat that continues to exist and why programs such
as EXBS are important to global security interests.


4. Ms. Gulnara Elegabayeva's visit to Washington D.C. EXBS is
awaiting a trip report and debrief from Chris Walker (DOE) on the
workshop's success. Ms. Elegabayeva is a nuclear export control
specialist with the Atomic Energy Committee of Kazakhstan. The
purpose of her visit with the DOE was to discuss nuclear export
control systems with U.S., Russian, and other Kazakhstani

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counterparts.


F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION


1. None.

III. RED FLAG ISSUES.


1. None.

ORDWAY