UZBEKISTAN: CUSTOMS OFFICIALS REQUEST FURTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000518 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, EXBS FOR JEFF HARTSHORN, ASTANA FOR NAS ANTHONY BEAVER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2018 TAGS: ASEC PBTS PGOV KZ UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: CUSTOMS OFFICIALS REQUEST FURTHER ASSISTANCE Classified By: Poloff Steven Prohaska for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (SBU) A representative from Allied Technical Services worked on the repair of an X-ray van provided by the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program to Uzbekistan's State Customs Committee May 1-2. Customs used this van between 1998 and 2007 primarily to scan the belongings of VIP visitors to Tashkent International Airport for items of concern including weapons and contraband. Customs also transported the van to major holiday events such as Navruz on March 21 and Independence Day on September 1 to scan the luggage and belongings of attendees. Due to the large number of people present at such events, this vehicle has played a crucial role in maintaining security. Indeed, the counter indicated that this van has conducted 52,575 inspections. Customs officials including First Deputy Chief Khayrulla Fayzullaev and Lt. Col. Andrey Kravchin expressed their deep gratitude to Poloff and Embassy LES for EXBS-provided assistance. ¶2. (SBU) The van, however, is still not operational due to a faulty motor that must be replaced. The Customs officials were anxious to get the vehicle up and running as soon as possible, and asked if this could be done before August. Lt. Col. Kravchin also inquired as to whether a similar, fully operational van in use in Shymkent, Kazakhstan that the Kazakhs no longer want could be given to Uzbekistan's Customs. Furthermore, because the vehicle must be serviced at least once per year, with the manufacturer recommending maintenance every six months, Kravchin hoped that EXBS could provide training for certain Customs officials which would allow them to do this themselves. ¶3. (C) Comment: This X-ray van is but one example of the many ways that EXBS has furthered mutual counterproliferation goals in detecting and interdicting items of concern in Uzbekistan, and Post would not object to the transfer of the operational van in Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan. The one at Tashkent International Airport could then be cannibalized for spare parts. Interestingly, the Customs officials were not familiar with the Modalities and Information-Sharing Proposal for border security assistance that Post submitted to the Government of Uzbekistan in December, suggesting that if MFA has shared it with Customs, the document has not been shared widely among members of the Committee. (Note: MFA Americas Desk Chief Ismat Fayzullaev told Poloff recently that Customs had given its approval to the proposal almost immediately, unlike other parts of the Government of Uzbekistan. End note.) Poloff sensed frustration from Kravchin that coming to an agreement on modalities will be an important factor in determining the extent of further EXBS assistance to Uzbekistan. NORLAND