EXBS KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE (AUGUST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001805 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN, SROBINSON DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER DEPT FOR EUR/ACE DFISCHER DEPT FOR SCA/RA JSPILSBURY DEPT FOR SCA/CEN MO'MARA CBP/INA FOR SBAKER AND BPICKETT USDOE/NNSA CWALKER, TPERRY AND EDESCHLER DOC FOR DCREED USCG FOR SHABETIMICHAEL AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE AND ASHGABAT FOR EXBS ADVISORS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP KZ SUBJECT: EXBS KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE (AUGUST 2008) ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. On August 7, 2008, a U.S. Senate delegation lead by Nevada Senator (and Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid visited Kazakhstan as part of a multi-country trip. Other senators making the trip included Jeff Bingaman (D-NM),Bill Nelson (D-FL),Johnny Isakson (R-GA),and Bob Menendez (D-NJ). ¶2. On August 7, 2008, a meeting of the Kazakhstan interdepartmental border security group was held at which it was announced that preparations are underway for the demarcation of the 6,846 kilometer border between Russia and Kazakhstan. Demarcation envisages the creation of the full-fledged border infrastructure, including settling issues of building border checkpoints and placing border signs. Demarcation will start in the Astrakhan region in early 2009 and will move along the Russia-Kazakhstan border from west to east. ¶3. On August 5, 2008, the ratified agreement between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan which is the legal basis for the demarcation of the 1,051 kilometer Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan state border took effect. The presidents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed a border treaty on December 15, 2001. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED ¶1. On August 1, 2008, the EXBS advisor attended a special country team briefing held for Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey, Acting Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The EXBS advisor gave a presentation on EXBS activities in Kazakhstan. ¶2. On August 11, 2008, a meeting was held with Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin Milas to discuss an incoming letter from the Acting Chairman of the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee requesting assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on a wide range of Customs related issues. In response to this request, EXBS has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and will attempt to arrange a meeting in Astana during the late October or early November timeframe. ¶3. On August 19, 2008, the EXBS Advisor attended a special country team meeting conducted with Lieutenant General James J. Lovelace, Commanding General U.S. Army Central (USARCENT). During this meeting the EXBS advisor gave a presentation on EXBS activities in Kazakhstan. ¶4. On August 21, 2008, the EXBS advisor participated in an Embassy Astana Security Assistance Working Group (SAWG) meeting. Among the topics discussed was the status of the Second Line of Defense efforts in installing radiation portal monitors in Kazakhstan, the status of the Customs Control Committee's $62 million dollar modernization program, and the Customs Control Committee's letter to the Deputy Chief of Mission requesting assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ¶5. On August 28, 2008, the EXBS team met in Astana with Tracy Mustin, Director, DOE Second Line of Defense (SLD) Program. During this meeting Laurel Cotton, the Project Coordinator for the SLD Program, introduced a new contractor, Tetra-Tech Inc., which is part of a team led by SES-Tech Global Solutions of Bellevue, Washington. Contractor representatives at this meeting included Randal Roberts, Vice President, Donald Hawkins, Contracts Manager, and Michael Hoxie, Supervising Project Manager. SES-Tech will be used to complete phase two of the SLD project in Kazakhstan. ASTANA 00001805 002 OF 002 ¶6. On August 28, 2008, the EXBS advisor met with Nicholas Pokrovsky, International Services and Advisors Inc., and Tracy Mustin, the Director, SLD Program, on the proposal to engage Kazakhstan in the deployment of Mobile Detection Systems. The objective of the Mobile Detection System (MDS) program is to establish and identify priority issues leading to an agreed upon list of needed equipment and a completely self-sustaining program that protects the partner country and other nations from the dangers of illicit traffic in nuclear and other radioactive material. As the result of this meeting, the EXBS Advisor provided a copy of the Law on the State Border, the Criminal Procedural Code, and the Law on Operational-Investigative Activity of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Second Line of Defense Program, as requested. ¶7. On August 29, 2008, Laurel Cotton, the Project Coordinator for the SLD Program, and representatives of SES-Tech Global Solutions met with Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee officials to discuss a broad range of matters concerning the implementation of the second phase of the SLD program in Kazakhstan. During September 2008, site surveys will be conducted at the following 8 ports: Kurmangazy, Urlyutobe, Kairak, Korgas, Sipatai Batyr, the Tobol rail crossing, the Atyrau airport, and the Aktau seaport. ¶B. TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶1. From August 23-31, 2008, a United States Coast Guard Mobile training course on the search of high-capacity containers was given at the port of Aktau, Kazakhstan, to 14 Border Guard students. This course was sponsored by the Office of Military Cooperation. ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶1. From August 13-15, 2008, Elina Akhtiyarova, EXBS Assistant, accompanied technical specialist Steven Patton and Britain Groesbeck, Allied Technical Services, to Shymkent, Kazakhstan, for the salvage of X-ray van 220, and to Kordai, Kazakhstan, for the demounting of an X-ray system from van 215. The work was conducted in the presence of the Chief Specialist of Fissile and Radiological Materials Control and Technical Means of the Customs Control Division, Major Zolotukhin. ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE ¶1. None. ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY ¶1. None ¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION ¶1. None III. RED FLAG ISSUES. ¶1. None MILAS