BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000468 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM/DTCC BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR DEPT ALSO FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MASS PREL ETTC KOMC KG SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK ON LICENSES 05-810418, 05-916537, AND 05-934438 REF: A. 06 BISHKEK 277 ¶B. 05 STATE 168690 ¶C. E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN POST AND PM/DTCC SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) Post EXBS and SAO staff have completed thorough inspections of all night vision goggles (NVGs) transferred by the USG to the Kyrgyz Government, including those transferred under the licenses listed in Ref B. Post conducted inspections at the Ministries of Defense (MOD) and Interior (MVD),Border Guard (BG) and Customs headquarters in Bishkek and regional sites in the Osh, Chui and Issyk Kul Oblasts. Post physically examined each device for missing or damaged parts and assessed operability. These inspections took place from February 16 to March 19, 2007. The BG was separated from the MOD in 2001, with a resulting division of troops and equipment; SAO staff facilitated inspections of NVGs originally provided to the BG by EXBS but currently located with the Ministry of Defense. According to EXBS and PM/DTCC contracts, licenses, and other documentation, the Kyrgyz Government has received 136 NVGs since 2001; Post's physical inspection turned up 140 NVGs. There are no/no NVGs in country under license 05-810418 (60 NVGs); Post has no documentation that these NVGs were ever received by Post or turned over to the Kyrgyz government. Post suspects that license 05-810418 (60 NVGs),was replaced by a different license for a similar number of devices. However, Post has no documentation to verify this switch of licenses. ¶2. (SBU) Inspections included the following licenses (Ref B): License 05-916537 2004-2005 (9 inspected, 1 missing) Ten (10) NVGs were provided to the Kyrgyz Border Guards and Customs under license 05-916537 on July 20, 2004 (4) and January 27, 2005 (6). Six (6) NVGs, serial numbers 554994-554996 and 555000-555002, were inspected and in good working order with Customs. One (1) NVG, serial number 554993, was inspected and in good working order with the Ministry of Defense. Two(2) NVGs, serial numbers 554997 and 554999, were inspected and in good working order with the Border Guard. The Border Guard failed to locate one (1) NVG, serial number 554998, and has started an investigation into its disappearance. License 05-934438 2005 (63 inspected, 3 missing) Sixty (60) NVGs were provided to the Kyrgyz Border Guards and Customs under license 05-934438 on January 27, 2005. Fifty (50) NVGs, serial numbers 29022-29023, 29025, 29026-29042, 29044-29063, 29065-29067, 29071, 29076-29077, 29079, and 29085-29087, were inspected and in good working order with the Border Guard. Nine (9) NVGs, serial numbers 29068-29070, 29072-29073, 29078, and 29080-29083, were inspected and in good working order with Customs. One (1),serial number NVG 29070, was not located, and Customs has started an investigation into its disappearance. An additional four (4) NVGs, serial numbers 29064, 29074, 29075, and 29084, are currently stored on the embassy compound with EXBS. Two (2) NVGs, serial numbers 29024 and 29043, were not found during any of the latest inspections, and Post has no documentation verifying that they were ever received by EXBS or provided to the Kyrgyz Government by the USG. Unidentified License (possibly replacing 05-810418) 2001 (68 inspected) Sixty-eight (68) NVGs were provided to the Kyrgyz Border Guards, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Interior in April 2001. There is insufficient documentation to verify exactly how many NVGs were provided to these agencies in ¶2001. Ten (10) NVGs, serial numbers 7581-7582, 7584-7587, 7590, 512899-512900, 512903, 512905, and 512910, were inspected and in good working order with the Ministry of Interior. Forty-three (43) NVGs, serial numbers 2933-2934, 2938, 7501, 7503-7509, 7531-7536, 7552, 7557, 7578-7580, 7583-7585, 7588, 7591-7594, 7596-7600, 512901, 512904, 512906-512909, 512912 and 512913, were inspected and in good working order with the Border Guard. Eleven (11) NVGs, BISHKEK 00000468 002 OF 002 serial numbers 7502, 7577, 7595, 105285-105286, 105304, 105318, 105350, 110095, 110151, and 512898, were inspected and in good working order with the Ministry of Defense. Post inspected an additional four (4) NVGs, serial numbers 2371, 7594, and 512902 with the Border Guard and serial number 2893 with the MOD. Post's earlier inspection report, Ref A, had listed the following four (4) NVGs as being in good working order and located with the Border Guards: serial numbers 3271, 5794, 519202, and 2898. Post believes that these serial numbers were incorrectly recorded (transposed) during the previous inspection. ¶3. (SBU) A total of 140 NVGs were located and verified to be operational and currently used in accordance with said licenses. A total of two (2) NVGs (serial numbers 29070 and 554998) were lost or stolen since initial transfers of equipment in 2001. An additional two (2) NVGs, serial numbers 29024 and 29043, were not located and also not found on any documentation at Post. Post believes that these NVGs were never shipped to Kyrgyzstan. ¶4. (SBU) In accordance with the limitations and provisos of said licenses, the Kyrgyz Government is fulfilling its obligations to perform monthly 100% physical count inventories and quarterly 100% serial number inventories. Post also verified that the NVGs currently located with the various ministries and agencies are secured in a controlled-access, monitored facility or guarded 24 hours a day. The Kyrgyz Government did not/not inform Post of the loss of the two (2) NVGs within 30 days as required. The Kyrgyz Government is cooperative in permitting Post to conduct inspections and inventories of serial numbers upon request. YOVANOVITCH