FORENSIC LABORATORY PROJECT IMPROVES CAPACITY AND

UNCLAS TASHKENT 000507 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INL/AAE (CARROLL AND BUHLER) DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR ICITAP MARK MOGLE ASTANA FOR NAS ANTHONY BEAVER BISHKEK FOR INL AND SLEA DUSHANBE FOR INL AND SLEA ASHGABAT FOR P/E INL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR ASEC PHUM PREL KCOR KCRM UZ SUBJECT: FORENSIC LABORATORY PROJECT IMPROVES CAPACITY AND GENERATES GOODWILL ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: An ongoing project to upgrade the Main Forensic Laboratory of the Ministry of Health, funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) with implementing support from the Department of Justice Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP),reached a milestone with the successful installation of sophisticated new instruments. Visiting ICITAP experts also conducted related training courses for their eager Uzbek counterparts. On April 24 the Ambassador toured the laboratory and received warm praise from the staff for the impact of this U.S. assistance. Projects such as this positively impact our working relationship with Uzbekistan and dovetail with broader goals of encouraging reforms in the criminal justice system. End summary. INL Forensic Laboratory Project -------------- ¶2. (U) The Main Forensic Laboratory of the Ministry of Health is an important resource supporting criminal investigations in Uzbekistan, particularly in counter- narcotics cases. The laboratory is under the auspices of the Ministry of Health in order to maintain autonomy from law enforcement agencies. INL is in the midst of a multi- year project administered by ICITAP to provide essential equipment upgrades and increase the skills of scientific staff through corresponding training. ICITAP Experts Visit -------------- ¶3. (U) From April 19-26 INL Tashkent supported a visit of two U.S. forensic experts, who conducted a training course focusing on developing hands-on skills working with a state-of-the-art Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer System (GCMS),specifically a G3440A Agilent 7890A. The laboratory also received several advanced microscopes. The instructors not only conducted required GCMS training but also provided vital input for proper installation and final tuning of the equipment. The ICITAP experts were impressed by the professionalism of the Uzbek scientists, who rapidly progressed to analyzing evidence from real cases after just three days of training. ¶4. (U) The ICITAP experts made specific recommendations on �A;how to improve existing laboratory procedures and also shared perspectives with laboratory management and personnel about forensic work in the United States. The experts emphasized the importance of an uninterrupted power supply for the GCMS system to deliver reliable results. (Note: In a previous phase of this project a generator and electrical wiring were installed to ensure uninterrupted power for the laboratory. End note.) The experts also advised the laboratory to utilize hydrogen instead of helium since the latter is not a renewable gas and is expensive and logistically difficult to obtain. Ambassador Visits Lab -------------- ¶5. (U) On April 24 the Ambassador toured the forensic laboratory, where newly-trained staff demonstrated the new equipment by performing live analyses. The Ambassador also formally signed over the equipment to Zayniddin Giyazov, Chief of the Main Forensic Laboratory, before an appreciative crowd of approximately 25 laboratory professionals from around the country. In his remarks Giyazov expressed gratitude for all of the improvements implemented with the help of INL funding assistance and ICITAP expertise, which previously included needs assessments, the provision of a generator and electrical upgrades, donation of essential equipment, and training programs. More to Come -------------- ¶6. (U) The INL-supported project continues, and ICITAP is organizing a subsequent visit of forensic experts in May 2008 to conduct a Toxi-Lab layer chromatography methodology training course. ICITAP experts also plan to travel to more rudimentary facilities outside the capital to conduct needs assessments. The provision of basic equipment can provide a significant performance boost to laboratories where there is professional motivation but a lack of resources to conduct sound analyses. Significantly, the Government of Uzbekistan has begun constructing a new laboratory building in Tashkent with its own resources, which will eventually house the new instruments provided with U.S. assistance. Comment: -------------- ¶7. (U) The equipment donations and training activities have already enhanced the professional capabilities of the laboratory and brought the Uzbeks closer to the international standards they are genuinely striving to achieve. The Government of UzbekistanQs decision to complement our investment in equipment and expertise by constructing a new facility is a positive sign that the project has been effective in instilling a sense of importance and pride in the need for conducting sound scientific work. A modern laboratory will contribute to proper handling and analysis of criminal evidence, which dovetails with our goal of promoting broader reform in the criminal justice system, also potentially of great benefit in various human rights areas. Transformational projects such as this generate significant goodwill for the U.S. and demonstrate that cooperation with Uzbekistan can produce tangible, mutually beneficial results. NORLAND