Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI1047
2007-05-07 11:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:  

GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tags:  GBSLE GG 
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VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSI #1047/01 1271139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071139Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1000
RUEAORC/USCBP WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6262
UNCLAS TBILISI 001047 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - SALTMAN-WINANS
USCBP FOR INA RWATT AND KCHAISSON

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: GBSLE GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORTING CABLE - MARCH & APRIL
2007


I. ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS:

UNCLAS TBILISI 001047

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - SALTMAN-WINANS
USCBP FOR INA RWATT AND KCHAISSON

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: GBSLE GG
SUBJECT: GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORTING CABLE - MARCH & APRIL
2007


I. ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS:


1. Prime Minister Zurab NOGAIDELI appointed Mindia
GADAEVI as the Head of the new Revenue Service. Mindia
GADAEV, will have three deputies. Irakli SIRADZE will
head Customs, Koba Abuladze will head the Tax Department
and David KARSELADZE will head the Financial Police
Department. All the appointees are under 40 years old.
The appointment of Mindia GADAEV as Head of the newly
formed Revenue Service is a positive step forward in the
fiscal reform and tax compliance taken by the Minister of
Finance.

II. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED:


1. Tools for facilities maintenance for GBP
(HSBP1006P13148)


2. 6 PC's, 6 monitors, 2 printers for PIRS support at New
Batumi Airport

III. PENDING DELIVERIES AND PROCUREMENTS:


1. Development of statements of work for Customs and
Border Police Units at the Tbilisi Airport and Batumi
Airport. (Computers and related equipment, portable
radios and base stations, chargers and batteries, cctv
monitor with multi-plexer, safes)


2. Development of statements of work for equipment for
the Border Police remote border station areas. (Survival
gear, snow mobiles, and thirty 4x4 Niva Lada vehicles)


3. Development of statements of work for special purpose
vehicles for the Border Police in remote border areas.
(All terrain vehicles for off-road use)


4. Development of statements of work for marked utility
vehicles for Customs at Sea Ports, Airports and Border
Crossing Points.(Twenty vehicles 4x4 with low maintenance
costs, produced in the region, able perform multi-
functions and clearly marked "CUSTOMS" with logo)

IV. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD:


1. March 2 - A joint team of 7 Georgian Customs and
Border Police Management Officers visited DHS/CBP
Headquarters in Washington, D.C., CBP Canine Academy in
Front Royal, VA, the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center in Brunswick, GA., and the Border Patrol Academy
in Artesia, NM., for the International Visitor Program.
They were accompanied by GBSLE Advisor Glen Schroeder and
GBSLE Translator Tina Magradze. The training concluded
on March 10. The trip was well received and trip reports
were submitted and reviewed.


V. TRAINING PLANNED FOR May 2007:

No training reported for this period.


VI. MEETINGS:


1. March 6 - GBLSE Advisor met with the Army Corps of
Engineers and received a briefing on construction
projects in progress. All construction projects are
proceeding as scheduled with the exception of the Revenue
Service Academy at Lilo due to local permit problems,
which are expected they will be resolved soon.


2. March 14 - GBSLE Advisor attended a Customs Reform
meeting at the DCM's residence. The meeting was attended
by USAID, key embassy officers, OSCE and members
representing the EU and the DCM from the Turkish Embassy.
The meeting was productive and useful contacts were made
by the GBSLE advisor.


3. March 15 - GBSLE Advisor attended a donors meeting
conducted by the GBP wherein a exchange of ideas with
regard to training priorities developed by the GBP for FY
2007 were discussed by the GBP and donors.


4. March 20 - GBSLE Advisor met with the IOM Director
and received a PIRS update.


5. March 22 & 23 - GBSLE Advisor met with OSCE
representatives and discussed the representative roles in
training and assisting the GBP as part of OSCE's semi-
annual charter process.


6. March 22 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with James
O'Neill,L3-Titan Contractor and discussed an issue
involving GeoInfoCom, a subcontractor of L3-Titan, a
contractor for GBSLE.


7. March 27 - GBSLE Advisors inspected and evaluated the
GBP Operations at the Sadakhlo Port of Entry and
inspected the new Port of Entry construction. The
project is on schedule and is 70% complete.


8. April 2 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson attended the
Commissioning of the Coast Guard Cutter "Orbi" at
Military Port of Poti.


9. April 3 - GBSLE Advisors met with the Head of the
Revenue Service, Mr. Mindia Gadaev and gave a briefing on
the GBSLE Program. Also discussed was the new Customs
Academy scheduled for construction. Mr. Gadaev briefed
the GBSLE Advisors on the new Revenue Service plans.


10. April 4 - GBSLE Advisors met with Neils Jensen,
Project Leader for Customs Legislation and Procedures for
EU Customs Project and discussed Customs Enforcement
authority in the areas of Search and Seizures.


11. April 9 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder met with the
contractor from L3 and discussed issues regarding PIRS
support and C3 Center issues.


12. April 12 - GBSLE Advisors met with Border Police and
Customs management at the Tbilisi Airport to discuss
equipment needs.


13. April 17 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder met with GBP
Deputy Koba Bochorishvili to discuss equipment needs.


14. April 18 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder participated in a
Donor's Meeting hosted by the EU.


15. April 18 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with Mr. Irakli
Siradze, Deputy Head of the Revenue Service to discuss
the construction of the new training facility at Lilo and
the possibility of a trip to the United States to visit
the training academy at FLETC and the computer center in
VA.


16. April 19 - GBSLE Advisors met with USAID's Business
Climate Reform, Chief of Party, Olin McGill and discussed
the possibility of sending the Fiscal Reform Team Leader
to the United States with a delegation from the Revenue
Service in the future.


17. April 20 - GBSLE Advisors met with the Deputy
Minister of Finance, Malkhaz Begiashvili and his staff to
discuss the construction of the new Revenue Service
Academy (formerly the Customs Training Facility). Also
present were representatives from the Army Corps of
Engineers and Customs.


18. April 22 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder traveled to
Batumi/Poti to evaluate the Motorola radio on the Coast
Guard vessel Orbi.


19. April 26 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with Mr. Vato
Lashkaradze, the Section Chief of the Revenue Service's
IT Division to get information on the procurement of a
server application Java compatible - SOClass based
software.


20. April 30 - GBSLE Advisors met in Batumi with Rear
Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr., U.S. Naval Forces Europe.
He is the Director for Policy, Resources, and Strategy.
We discussed the GBSLE Program and areas of mutual
interest to the region.

VII. LIAISON AND COORDINATION:


1. March 31 - April 7 - DHS/CBP GBSLE Program Manager
Karen Chaisson visited Republic of Georgia and conducted
a review of the GBSLE Program. She met with the GBSLE
advisors and their staff and reviewed the progress of the
project. During her visit she met with embassy officers
and GBP and Customs officials to discuss the progress of
the program and to brief them on current and future
funding to support their individual needs.




2. GBSLE advisors met with EU Donors at two donor
meetings during the months of March and April to discuss
future training needs of the GBP.


3. March 21 - GBSLE advisors attended a celebration of
the Georgian Border Guard's anniversary.


4. April 2 - GBSLE advisor Nelson attended the
Commissioning of the Coast Guard Cutter "Orbi"


5. GSBLE advisors continued participation in the
Security and Law Enforcement Working Group Chaired by DCM
Mark Perry.

VIII. CONSTRUCTION:


A. Kazbegi Border Crossing Station
Contractor - Inzhmsheni
- Current contract completion date - 14 May 2007
- Contract value - $2,311,630.50
- Percentage of completion - 48%


B. Sadaklo Border Crossing Station
Contractor - Archstudia
- Current contract completion date - 17 July 2007
- Contract value - $2,069,679.54
- Percentage of completion - 71%


C. Mestia Grass Airfield
Contractor - Alioni
- Current contract completion date - 15 June 2007
- Contract value - $851,879.00
- Percentage of completion - 65%


D. Chakvi Radar Station
Contractor - Lindsay
- Current contract completion date - 2 April 2007
- Contract value - $594,800,00
- Percentage of completion - 80%


E. Anaklia Radar Station
Contractor - Alioni 99
- Current contract completion date - 21 May 2007
- Contract value - $373,000
- Percentage of completion date - 45%


F. Gonio Radar Station
Contractor - Lindsay
- Current contract completion date - 18 September 2007
- Contract value - $501,700,00
- Percentage of completion - in design


G. Lagodekhi Border Crossing Station
Contractor - Alioni 99
- Current contract completion date - 17 November 2007
- Contract value - $775,270.00
- Percentage of completion - in design


H. Remote Border Posts (Task Order 0002)
Contractor - Alioni 99
- Current contract completion date - 17 November 2007
- Contract value - $1,040,315.00
- Percentage of completion - in design


I. Remote Border Posts (Task Order 0004)
Contractor - Alioni 99
- Current contract completion date - 17 November 2007
- Contract value - $720,797.00
- Percentage of completion - in design


J. Revenue Service Training Facility
Contractor - Lindsay
- Current contract completion date - 17 November 2007.
- Contract Value - $704,800
- Percentage of Completion - in design 50%

VIIII. RED FLAG ISSUES:

Border Police - None
Customs - None

POC for this report is Christopher M. Nelson, Chief of Party,
GBSLE.

TEFFT