GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM

UNCLAS TBILISI 002117 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - KBILGE AND SALTMAN-WINANS USCBP FOR INA RWATT AND KCHAISSON BERLIN FOR ICE ATTACHE SIPDIS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: GBSLE GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA BORDER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORTING CABLE - JUNE AND JULY 2007 ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. July 7, 2007 GBSLE Program Manager Karen Chaisson arrived from CBP Headquarters to conduct a program review and visit Embassy Officers and other high level Georgian Revenue and Border Police Officials. During the course of her stay she visited Border Crossing Points and Radar Stations currently under construction. ¶2. During the reporting period the Radar Station at Chakvi was turned over to the Georgian Border Police's Coast Guard Division on July 30, 2007. The total cost of the project was $594,800. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED: None PENDING DELIVERIES AND PROCUREMENTS: ASYCUDA SOClass Software for the Revenue Service valued at $90,000. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: On June 12 through June 25 GBSLE Advisor Schroeder accompanied a group of 20 Customs and Border Police Officers on a trip to Charleston, SC for ISIT Training. TRAINING PLANNED FOR AUGUST 2007 IRID Training is planned for August 24 through September 2, 2007 in El Paso, TX for members of the Border Police and Customs. EMBASSY ASSISTS: ¶1. June 8 - Embassy requested GBSLE to facilitate entry of African Swine Flu (ASF) Response Teams. ¶2. July 24 - Embassy Consular Section requested GBSLE to facilitate the recovery of U.S. Property at the Tbilisi Airport with assistance of the Georgian Border Police. MEETINGS: June 1 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder flew with Border Police to remote camps on the Chechnya Border in the Khevsurete (Barisakhlo) Region. June 4 - GBSLE Advisors Nelson and Schroeder attended DCM's SLEWG meeting and presented program briefing to CODEL (Senator Lugar's Office) representatives Paul Clayman and Manisha Singh. June 5 - GBSLE Advisors Nelson and Schroeder briefed CODEL members Clayman and Singh with a border tour of GBSLE Port of Entry construction project at Sadakhlo. June 7 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder met with GBP Deputies, Titan and IOM Representatives to discuss the C-3 project. June 8 - GBSLE Advisors met with the Head of the Revenue Service and delivered the Letter of Invitation to Mindia Gadaevi for the Executive Orientation Program. June 13 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with the ACOE and Local contractor to discuss the progress of the Ladodeki Border Crossing Project. June 14 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with the Head of the Revenue Service, Mindia Gadaevi to present an overview of the EOP trip planned for September 2007. June 18 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with the DCM to provide a briefing on the Grif Boat Contract with the Batumi Shipyard. June 22 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson escorted Mr. Kerem Bilge, Security and Law Enforcement Advisor, EUR/ACE to the Border Crossing at Sadakhlo for a tour and briefing. June 22 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson attended an evening donors meeting at the office of Revenue Service and gave a presentation on the GBSLE Program to members of the International Donors Community. June 27 - GBSLE Advisor Schroeder met EU Team Leader Haakan Rapp to discuss training plans for FY 08. June 28 - GBSLE Advisors met with Lt. General Bitsadze to deliver the Batumi Shipyard Grif/Orbi Contract letter. July 8 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met with Richard Wissler and James O'Niell of L3 Titan to discuss the C-3 project. July 10 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met the GPB to discuss the turnover of the C-3 plans and future assistance to the GBP. July 10 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met with Public Affairs to discuss the filming of the GBSLE documentary film project. July 11 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met with Ambassador Tefft and DCM Perry to discuss the GBSLE Program. July 11 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met with the Head of the Revenue Service, Mindia Gadaevi to discuss the GBSLE Program. July 12 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson traveled to Tbilisi Airport and met with Border Police and Customs Officers and discussed Airport Operations. July 13 - GBSLE Advisors and Program Manager Karen Chaisson travel to the Kazbegi Border Crossing. They met with the Border Police and Customs and discussed the progress of the new Border Construction Project. July 15 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson and Program Manager Karen Chaisson traveler to Batumi to meet with Shipyard officials. July 16 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson and Program Manager Karen Chaisson visited Chakvi Radar Station to view the completed construction project. July 17 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson and Program Manager Karen Chaisson met with Tamaz Kordzahia the Contract Manager at the Batumi Shipyard to discuss the Grif/Orbi Boat Contract. July 17 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson and Program Manager Karen Chaisson travel to Poti Coast Guard Base to attend the Coast Guard Day Celebration and met with General Gulua. July 20 - GBSLE Advisors met with Program Manager Karen Chaisson and had a close out meeting with her and discussed the GBSLE Program Plans for FY 08. July 25 - GBSLE Advisor Nelson met with the ACOE to discuss the progress of construction at the border crossing points and the radar stations. July 25 - GBSLE Advisors attended the Security and Law Enforcement Security Working Group chaired by the DCM. LIAISON AND COORDINATION: ¶1. GBSLE advisors met with EU Donors at two donor meetings during the months of June and July to discuss future training needs of the GBP and coordinate donors' activity. ¶2. GSBLE Advisors continued participation in the Security and Law Enforcement Working Group meetings held twice during the months of June and July. ¶3. GBSLE Advisors attended the Country Team Meetings held once a week during the months of June and July. CONSTRUCTION: Kazbegi Border Crossing Station Contractor - Inzhmsheni Current contract completion date - 30 Sept 2007 Contract value - $2,311,630.50 Percentage of completion - 48% Sadaklo Border Crossing Station Contractor Archstudia Current contract completion date - 17 June 2007 Contract value - $2,069,679.54 Percentage of completion - 78% Mestia Grass Airfield Contractor - Alioni Current contract completion date - 19 May 2007 Contract value - $851,879.00 Percentage of completion - 77% Chakvi Radar Station Completed 30 July 2007 Contractor - Lindsay Current contract completion date - Completed 30 July 2007 Contract value - $594,800.00 Percentage of completion - 80% Anaklia Radar Station Contractor Alioni 99 Current contract completion date - 21 May 2007 Contract value - $373,000 Percentage of completion date - 52% Gonio Radar Station Contractor - Lindsay Current contract completion date - 18 September 2007 Contract value - $501,700,00 Percentage of completion - in design 95% Lagodekhi Border Crossing Station Contractor - Alioni 99 Current contract completion date - 17 November 2007 Contract value - $775,270.00 Percentage of completion - in design 95% Remote Border Posts (Task Order 0002) Contractor - Alioni 99 Current contract completion date - 17 November 200 Contract value - $1,040,315.0 Percentage of completion - in design 95% 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 95% Lilo Customs Training Facility (Ministry of Finance Training Facility) Contractor - Lindsay Current contract completion date - 17 Nov 2007. Contract Value - $704,800 Percentage of Completion - Construction begun 13 May 2007 after a series of delays were Resolved by the contractor with the help of ACOE and GBSLE Advisors. RED FLAG ISSUES: Border Police - None Customs - None POC for this report is Christopher M. Nelson, Chief of Party GBSLE. PERRY