KAZAKHSTAN: MFA DIPNOTE ON CDC "ILLEGAL SMUGGLING"

UNCLAS ASTANA 002143 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, L, OES, SCA/EX, DS/IP/SCA, DS/ISI/CI STATE PASS TO CDC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KHIV SENV KG KZ UZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: MFA DIPNOTE ON CDC "ILLEGAL SMUGGLING" ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) Embassy Astana has received the following diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning a criminal case involving alleged 2006 "illegal smuggling" of HIV-infected blood samples from Kazakhstan to the United States for analysis in the Centers for Disease Control laboratories. Following is the text of the note (informal translation). ¶3. (SBU) Diplomatic Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan No. 22-1/1821 dated 12/07/2009, received 12/10/2009: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Embassy that the Committee of National Security launched Criminal Case No 08751904110147 on September 10, 2008 in accordance with Article 209 Paragraph 1 (economic smuggling) of the Criminal Code, and found evidence that the CDC Office in Central Asia used the Embassy's car to illegally export 81 samples of HIV-infected blood from Kazakhstan to the United States in 2006. In 2006 experts of the CDC Office in Central Asia participated in investigation of mass cases of HIV infection among children in South Kazakhstan Oblast. Within the framework of that investigation the National AIDS Center handed over 94 blood samples of HIV-positive children to CDC representatives in Kazakhstan for identification of their genotype in Atlanta, United States. The blood samples were delivered in two shipments in August and December 2006. The first shipment exported in August 2006 was sent to the United States through the Almaty International Airport, with all required customs documents submitted. The second shipment of 81 HIV-positive blood samples was received in the National AIDS Center of Almaty city by Uzbek citizen R.A. Konovalov, driver of the CDC office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and exported by him through the Zhibek Zholy border post to Uzbekistan by Chevrolet Suburban No D001474, owned by the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, on December 9, 2006. The blood samples were exported without the required permission of the Government of Kazakhstan or mandatory customs declaration of shipments. In order to make the case clear and legitimate, the Ministry kindly requests the Embassy's clarifications and assistance to help the relevant government agencies make a legal decision. The following information is requested: -- Did Chevrolet Suburban No D001474 belong to the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan? -- Where is this car now? And who is the owner? -- Does the U.S. Embassy have any information about export by CDC of HIV-positive blood samples from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan for its further delivery to Atlanta, USA? -- If so, why was the export of blood samples not registered in accordance with the established procedures? How was the first shipment registered? -- Why was the second shipment of blood samples exported via Uzbekistan? -- Which employees of the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan or CDC Office in Kazakhstan were involved in export of blood samples from Kazakhstan? -- Who initiated export of blood samples from Kazakhstan for their analysis in the United States? End diplomatic note. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Post has already notified CDC in Almaty and is gathering information for a response by diplomatic note. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND