EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: JSC

UNCLAS MOSCOW 003490 SIPDIS SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/MHAMES/LRITTER/DMUSLU USDOC FOR 3150/USFCS/OIO/CEENIS/MCOSTA AMEMBASSY TASHKENT FOR DALLEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ETRD ETTC RS SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: JSC UZBEKTELECOM, TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN, LICENSE NO. D341584 REFTEL: 1. USDOC 05393 DATED 12/20/05 ¶1. Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. ¶2. Reftel 1 requested a Post-shipment verification to determine the legitimacy and reliability of the end- user, JSC Uzbektelecom, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The company is listed on BIS license application D341584 as the ultimate consignee of two cesium frequency clocks, model: PRS45-0002. These items are controlled for national security reasons under ECCN 3A002. The licensee is Symmetricom Inc., 2300 Orchard Pkwy, San Jose, CA 95131. ¶3. On July 11, 2007, Export Control Attache Donald Pearce and FSN Natalya Shipitsina conducted the requested post-shipment verification with JSC Uzbektelecom (UT),24, Amir Temur st., Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The export control team met with Khakim Mukhitdinov, General Director and Margarita Kashina, Head of International Relations Department. ¶4. UT was founded in 1992 to provide telecommunications services to Uzbekistan. UT is an open joint-stock company, with 94% of the shares owned by the Government of Uzbekistan, 3% owned by employees, and 3% owned by the Judiciary of Uzbekistan. UT hopes to sell 49% of the company shares to a foreign strategic investor. UT employs 20,300 in 19 divisions, including regional telecommunications providers and specialized departments. The company also has interests in 12 telecommunications related joint ventures. ¶5. The cesium primary reference sources (PRS) in reftel are used in the UT national telecommunications network control system, located at the Tashkent Telegraph Station. The PRS systems synchronize the network, providing stable and highly accurate time signals to the switching network. The devices have no other uses and are not accessible outside of the UT technical network. The units are stable, and working well. As UT expands it's digital switching network, it will require 3 or 4 new PRS units, which it is considering sourcing elsewhere due to the 7 to 8 month wait for U.S. export licenses. ECO Pearce advised that the turnaround time for a future license should be shorter. Mr. Mukhitdinov is familiar with U.S. export controls and the conditions of the license. ¶6. The team was brought to the Tashkent Telegraph Station (TTS),a specialized department of UT, located at #28 A. Navoi Str, Tashkent. TTS controls the international and long-distance switching networks for UT. In addition, the center provides satellite uplink/downlink facilities for broadcasting. The team was shown two TimeCesium PRS-4400 clock systems, s/n 0608006812 and 0613007244. The clocks are rack- mounted in the IT center of the TTS building. Access to the TTS facility is restricted due to the sensitive nature of the systems resident in the building. A proximity card system is used to control access, and visitors must be escorted at all times. Corporate security officers patrol the facility 24 hours a day, and a video surveillance system is in place. Three specialists have direct daily access to the system, and one engineer is responsible for monitoring the clocks. ¶7. Recommendations: Post recommends JSC Uzbektelecom, Tashkent, Uzbekistan as reliable recipients of sensitive U.S. origin commodities. (FCS MOSCOW/SBOZEK/DPEARCE) BURNS