ACCESS PROBLEMS NEARLY DERAIL INL-FUNDED TRAINING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000606 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN AND INL/AAE CBP FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING BRANCH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017 TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM UZ SUBJECT: ACCESS PROBLEMS NEARLY DERAIL INL-FUNDED TRAINING IN TERMEZ REF: A. TASHKENT 376 ¶B. 06 TASHKENT 1251 Classified By: Amb. Jon R. Purnell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) An INL-funded U.S. Customs team provided training for Uzbek Customs personnel at the Termez River Port and Sarosiya Rail Depot. The team was initially denied access to the border areas, and the project went forward only after visiting SCA Deputy Assistant Secretary Evan Feigenbaum raised the problem with the President's National Security Adviser. While the program ultimately was successful, its problems are indicative of our larger border security relationship with the Uzbeks. Working level counterparts are eager to cooperate with us, and senior people want to work with the United States if only because of the equipment that our programs provide. No one, however, is ready to intervene to solve bureaucratic problems and other difficulties without a direct sign from Tashkent. End summary. ¶2. (U) Post's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) program sponsored training February 28 - March 6 for Uzbek Customs officers assigned to the Surkhandaryo Province's Termez River Port and Sarosiya Rail Depot. In addition to training on general topics, such as terrorism awareness and common smuggling techniques, U.S. Customs and Border Protection trainers provided information on contraband enforcement techniques specific to rail and maritime operations. The trainers eventually were permitted to observe the unloading and inspection of cargo at both locations as well as passenger inspections at the rail depot. -------------- Bureaucratic Snafus Abound -------------- ¶3. (C) The training, which had been approved by the Government of Uzbekistan two months in advance, almost ended before it began as the result of what Customs contacts described as a series of bureaucratic snafus and interagency rivalry. The problems began immediately upon arrival in Termez when U.S. personnel were delayed for 30 minutes at the airport for document checks by Border Guards because they were not on the list of foreigners approved for travel to Surkhandaryo Province on the day of arrival. The problems continued the next morning when the trainers arrived at Surkhandaryo Regional Customs Headquarters for the first day of training. They discovered that Customs Headquarters in Tashkent had ordered all personnel not on duty to attend a meeting, lasting all day, to discuss President Karimov's latest anti-corruption speech and its applicability to Customs personnel. Trying to remain flexible, the U.S. team suggested they could make use of this time by visiting the river port. Unfortunately, this would not be possible, our Customs contact explained, as the Border Guards had yet to receive orders allowing the Americans access to the port. Going to the rail depot was out of the question for the same reason, he said. The American team spent the rest of the day sightseeing in Termez. ¶4. (C) Upon learning of the access problems, poloff made calls to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Border Guards. MFA blamed the Border Guards, saying that the letter granting access had been sent weeks beforehand. Border Guards blamed MFA, saying that such a letter had never been received. Neither apparently was willing to issue the necessary orders to break the logjam and grant the U.S. Customs team access to the border posts. Ultimately, it took a request for help from visiting SCA Deputy Assistant Secretary Evan Feigenbaum during a meeting with National SIPDIS Security Council Secretary Murod Ataev (ref A) for the difficulties to be resolved. -------------- Termez River Port -------------- ¶5. (C) Once access to the port was granted, U.S. Customs personnel provided maritime contraband interdiction training to 11 Uzbek Customs officers assigned to the river port. These officers are responsible for inspecting cargo going to *********************** * Missing Section 002 * ***********************