EXBS KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE (APRIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000888

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 KCHAISSON AND RWATT
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 (APRIL
2008)


I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS:


1. Gulnara Abildaeva, Program Coordinator/Manager for the EXBS
program in Kazakhstan has been named the "Astana Foreign Service
National (FSN) of the Year for 2008". This award is given in
recognition of the high standards of performance and value to the
U.S. Government through special contributions made by a Department
of State FSN. Ms. Abildaeva will represent Astana in competition
for the Department-wide FSN of the Year award.


II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD


A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED


1. On April 15, 2008, the EXBS program team attended a meeting
between the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee
of the Ministry of Finance and a delegation from the U.S. Department
of Energy's Second Line of Defense (SLD) program, lead by the Bruce
Pentola. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss a broad range
of matters concerning the SLD program, including training,
acceptance testing, and equipment delivery issues.


2. On April 15, 2008, the EXBS team was given a tour of the
Kazakhstani Customs Control Committee's Communication Command Center
in Astana. From this Communication Command Center, representatives
of the Customs Control Committee can monitor the activities at 13
ports of entry throughout Kazakhstan. Customs Entry/Exit Documents
and Customs Declarations are scanned into the system at the border
crossing and can be viewed by specialists in Astana. These
specialists can conduct further research in data bases from other
Kazakhstani government agencies that are not available to the
officers at the border crossings. The center also has a video feed
that can monitor vehicles arriving and departing the ports of entry.
Future plans call for expanding coverage to additional border
crossings, and for the participation of other Kazakhstani
governmental agencies in the Communication Command Center, making it
a one stop information clearance house for Kazakhstan
government-wide assistance to front line Customs officers.


3. On April 17, 2008, the EXBS advisor attended a Security
Assistance Working Group (SAWG) meeting held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Among the topics discussed was the status of the Second Line of
Defense efforts in installing radiation portal monitors in
Kazakhstan and the proposed U.S. Department of Energy's AirConOps
program.


4. On April 21, 2008, the EXBS team conducted interviews of seven
candidates for the EXBS Program Assistant position in Astana. As a
result of these interviews, Elina Akhtiyarova was selected for the
position and will start her employment with EXBS on May 25, 2008.



5. On April 22, 2008, the EXBS team attended a meeting between
Kazakhstani representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Customs Control
Committee, and the Border Guard Service and a U.S. Delegation lead
by Dexter Ingram, State Department ISN/WMD, and Allison Johnson,
U.S. Department of Energy. The purpose of this meeting was to
present to the Government of Kazakhstan a proposal to use Kazakhstan
as a regional pilot of AirConOps, which is a new direction for the
Second Line of Defense program. Under this pilot program, U.S.
Department of Energy would provide the Government of Kazakhstan with
detection equipment that will provide the capability to detect

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nuclear/radiological material within aircraft after they have
landed. This proposal pilot program would bring the detection
capability to the aircraft itself and the equipment could be used to
search both full and empty aircraft. On April 28, the Embassy
received a copy of a letter from the Customs Control Committee to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in which the Customs Committee
recommended that Kazakhstan participate in the program.


B. TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


1. From April 7-11, 2008, an International Counterproliferation
Program (ICP) course, "WMD Crime Scene Skills Recertification
Course" was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The purpose of this course
was to provide continuing education for 29 students that attended
prior ICP courses. The students represented the following
Kazakhstani organizations: The Committee for National Security; The
General Prosecutor's Office; The Agency for Economic Crime and
Corruption Prevention; The Ministry of Internal Affairs; The Customs
Control Committee; and The Ministry of Emergency Situations.


C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD


1. None


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. On April 23-24, 2008, the EXBS program manager assisted Lt.
Michael Fisher, EXBS Regional Maritime Advisor, during meetings with
Rear Admiral Abikeev and his staff in Aktau and Bautino, Kazakhstan.
The purpose of these meetings was to discuss SAFE boat maintenance,
conduct an inventory of EXBS and U.S. Coast Guard purchased supplies
and spare parts for the donated SAFE boats, and to discuss the SAFE
Boat Operations Course to be conducted in Bautino, Kazakhstan from
July 7 to
August 1, 2008.


III. RED FLAG ISSUES.


1. None



ORDWAY