EXBS: TURKMENISTAN COUNTRY ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001483 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - JHARTSHORN, LSPRINGER, AND YWONG SCA/CEN FOR DGENRENBEK, RSNELSIRE SCA/RA FOR ACUMMINGS DHS/CBP FOR GRISING SCA/RA FOR JMCCELLAN DHS/ICE FOR AMEFFERD DOE/NNSA FOR RTALLY, AND EDESCHLER DOC/BIS FOR DCREED USCG FOR SHABTEMICHAEL AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CBP ATTACHE AMEMBASSY MOSCOW FOR ICE ATTACHE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP TX SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKMENISTAN COUNTRY ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE October 08 - November 10, 2008. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST ¶1. The EXBS Advisor is responsible for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Advisor has been unable to travel to Uzbekistan since July because of visa and passport problems. The Advisor received a new three-month visa for Uzbekistan, effective November 27, 2008. The Advisor will be TDY to Uzbekistan from November 27 - December 10, ¶2009. The EXBS staff attended a Law Enforcement Donors Coordination meeting sponsored by UNODC on October 13; finalized the arrangements to ship and store three radioactive sources necessary to calibrate the radiation portal monitors that will be installed by the DOE/SLD; prepared a diplomatic note to the Turkmen MFA informing them of a WMD/CIT a workshop; completed a cable on "Border Security Assistance - Request for Information" (Re:State 107424); completed arrangements for two US delegations coming to Turkmenistan; attended two training programs sponsored by UNODC; met with representatives of UNDP BOMCA, UNODC, OSCE, and IOM to discuss future cooperation on border projects; and met with a vendor for Radascan x-ray systems. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶2. On October 13, the EXBS advisor attended a Law Enforcement Donors Coordination Meeting hosted by UNODC. The Embassy is a member of the Donors Assistance Group in Turkmenistan. The group meets every three months to discuss and exchange information and views about the drug and crime situation in Turkmenistan. The October 13 meeting was attended by EXBS, DATT and INL. Representative from the Embassies of Turkey, Russia, Korea, Japan, France, House of Europe, Germany and representatives from BOMCA/CADAP, UNODC, OSCE, and TACIS were also there to share information. The Embassy hosted the previous donors meeting held in May of 2008. The October meeting was very informative and the OSCE representative offered to sponsor any member who wished to sign up for the 'ADAM" donor database. The database has donor project information from all members and is accessible only through 
membership. Currently one hundred and two countries and forty-two international organizations are registered. The website is Adam.UNODC.org. ¶3. On October 21, 2008 EXBS Assistant Gulshat Jumayeva contacted Turkmen Gas Geophysics for information on importing, storing, and transporting small nuclear radiation sources. These sources will be used to test the new radiation portal monitors that will be installed at Turkmen border ports by the Department of Energy Second Line of Defense (DOE/SLD). The sources are harmless but must be stored and their use controlled by a Turkmenistan Government agency or someone designated to act on the behalf of the Turkmenistan Government. Turkmen Gas Geophysics falls under the control of the Ministry of Oil and Gas and is the only agency in Turkmenistan licensed to store and transport these kinds of materials. ¶4. On November 3 and 4, 2008 members of the EXBS staff attended a Practical Training in Drug Search, Detection and Identification workshop sponsored by OSCE. The trainers were Officers from Turkish Customs and Drug Enforcement. The participants were headquarters personnel from Ashgabat. The Turkish trainers were professional and the program was well received by the participants. ¶5. From December 14-18, 2008 EXBS will sponsor a three-day Department of Energy-led Weapons of Mass Destruction Commodity Identification Training (WMD-CIT) workshop in Ashgabat, ASHGABAT 00001483 002 OF 003 Turkmenistan. The workshop will be the second WMD-CIT workshop held in Turkmenistan this year. On November 6, 2008 EXBS sent a diplomatic note to the Turkmen MFA informing them of the workshop. ¶6. During this reporting period, EXBS has been completing logistics for two US delegations scheduled to arrive in Turkmenistan. A delegation from the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be in Turkmenistan from November 10 - 16 to conduct meetings with the Turkmen Ministry of Energy and other Turkmen Governmental agencies on radiological security upgrades in Turkmenistan. The second delegation will be in Turkmenistan from November 14-24 to conduct a legal and regulatory training workshop. Members of EXBS staff will attend both the meetings and the workshop. ¶7. On November 10, 2008 EXBS Program Assistant Batyr Hommadov traveled to the Artyk Border Crossing to participate in an OSCE-sponsored practical training in drug search and identification exercise. The trainers were from the Turkish Customs Service and Drug Control. This was the second OSCE training session witnessed by the EXBS staff. A report of the first session is in para 4 above. The first sessions conducted in Ashgabat were attended by headquarters personnel stationed in Ashgabat. Mr. Hommadov did not feel that the Turkmen Border Guards, Customs, Drug Enforcement and Ministry of Interior Officers were very impressed with the second training. The participants from the second training were line officers working in a field environment. They said that the training was too basic. There was also a problem with access to vehicles for inspection. The method of instruction was hands-on with the Turkish trainers conducting the inspection and the Turkmen Officers observing. The officer-in-charge would not allow this because he had not received clearance from his main command. EXBS has encountered this problem many times in the past. The problems stems from the differences in search authority in the different countries. Turkish officials have broad search authority much like the search authority found in the United States. The Turkmenistan border search authority is more restrictive. ¶8. During this reporting period, EXBS staff met with representatives from OSCE, UNDP BOMCA/CADAP, and IOM to discuss coordination on our respective border security programs. EXBS was invited to attend two drug training programs presented by OSCE, as noted in paras 4 and 7 above. EXBS has invited representatives from other donor programs to attend the Legal and Regulatory Workshop to be held from November 18-21. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD None EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING REPORTING PERIOD None IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE. ¶9. Imminent training as planned as follows: - RIID and CT-30 training will be scheduled by CBP. The RIIDs and CT-30s will be turned over to the Turkmen Government after the training. - A Legal and Regulatory Workshop is scheduled for November 18 - 21, ASHGABAT 00001483 003 OF 003 ¶08. CTP will provide the training. - A WMD CIT training workshop is scheduled for December 14 -18, 08. CTP will provide the training. - From March 16 - 20, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International Rail Interdiction workshop in Turkmenistan. - From April 27 - May 4, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International Air Cargo Interdiction Training program in New York. - From July 20 - 24, 2009 EXBS has scheduled an International Border Interdiction Training program in Texas. - From July 27 - August 7, 2008 EXBS has scheduled an International Air Cargo Interdiction Training 11 program in Turkmenistan. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ON EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY None RED FLAG ISSUES None CURRAN