KAZAKHSTAN: EXBS ADVISOR'S REPORTING CABLE (JANUARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 000248 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN DEPT FOR ISN/ECC: YWONG, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN, SROBINSON DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT: LSPRINGER DEPT FOR EUR/ACE: DFISCHER DEPT FOR SCA/RA: JSPILSBURY CBP/INA: SBAKER AND BPICKETT USDOE/NNSA: CWALKER, TPERRY, 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: PARM PREL ETTC MNUC KNNP KSTC KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: EXBS ADVISOR'S REPORTING CABLE (JANUARY 2009) ASTANA 00000248 001.2 OF 003 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. (SBU) On January 23-26, Kazakhstan's President Nazarbayev paid an official visit to India. During this visit, Kazakhstan's national nuclear energy company Kazatomprom (KAP) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL),run by India's State Department of Atomic Energy, signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation. According to Kazatomprom, the two companies will cooperate in the extraction and production of uranium, the supply of uranium pellets and fuel assemblies to Indian nuclear facilities, and the training of Kazatomprom personnel. Under this agreement, Kazakhstan will supply approximately 300 tons of uranium and processed fuel annually to India for up to five years. Kazatomprom also announced that it will take advantage of the opportunity to review the technical feasibility studies for India's heavy-water nuclear reactors in order to assess whether plant of similar design would be suitable for Kazakhstan. ¶2. (SBU) Kazatomprom also plans to work with Russian partners to build a new nuclear power plant in Aktau. A feasibility study has been completed and will be submitted to the government for review in April. Under this plan, Russia would supply two 300-megawatt reactors, analogous to those used in Russian nuclear submarines. ¶3. (SBU) On January 29, the Kazakhstan Senate ratified a number of agreements on forming a new Customs Union among Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED ¶4. (SBU) On January 13, the EXBS advisor participated in a special country team meeting with General Petraeus, Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)and his staff. During this meeting the EXBS advisor briefed the participants on border security and nonproliferation efforts in Kazakhstan. ¶5. (SBU) On January 27, the EXBS advisor participated in a Security Assistance Working Group meeting convened to brief U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Deputy Assistant Commissioner for International Affairs Charles Stallworth on border security assistance provided to the Government of Kazakhstan. ¶6. (SBU) On January 27, the EXBS team participated in a meeting between Kazakhstani Customs Control Committee Chairman Kozy-Korpesh Karbuzov and Stallworth on reforms being undertaken by the Customs Control Committee. During this meeting, Karbuzov outlined the extent of the reforms undertaken within Customs, including the reduction in the number of border control agencies present at ports of entry. Stallworth answered specific questions concerning the experience of CBP in carrying out similar reforms. ¶7. (SBU) On January 27, the EXBS advisor participated in a dinner hosted by Kazakhstani Customs Control Committee Chairman Karbuzov in Stallworth's honor. ¶8. (SBU) On January 28, the EXBS team accompanied Stallworth on a tour of the Customs facility at Astana International Airport. ¶9. (SBU) On January 28, the EXBS team participated in the grand ASTANA 00000248 002.2 OF 003 opening of the Center for Operational Administration (CAO) at the invitation of the Customs Control Committee Chairman. This facility is designed to function like the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center (NTC) in Reston, Virginia, and when fully functional will be manned by personnel from a variety of Kazakhstani ministries responsible for transportation, trade, public health and safety, and border security. ¶10. (SBU) On January 29, the EXBS team participated in meetings between CBP Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stallworth and representatives from the Embassy's Office of Military Cooperation (OMC)and International Narcotics and Law Enforcement office (INL). During these meetings, border security matters, including assistance provided to the Kazakhstani Border Guards, were discussed. ¶11. (SBU) On January 29, the EXBS team participated in a meeting between Stallworth and General-Major Marat Mazhitov, First Deputy Director and Chief of Main Staff, Kazakhstani Border Guard Service. ¶12. (SBU) On January 29, the EXBS team participated in an international donor coordination meeting hosted by the Border Management and Drug Action Programs in Central Asia (BOMCA/CADAP). During this meeting, the EXBS advisor gave a summary of EXBS assistance provided during the last quarter and future plans for ¶2009. ¶B. TRAINING COURSES CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶13. (U) None ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶14. (SBU) On January 23, the EXBS program manager accompanied Major Sabynbayev of the Kazakhstan Border Guard Service to the Ankor manufacturing facility in Almaty to inspect and accepted the first of three portable shelters purchased by EXBS for the Green Border Project to control the vast border area of Kazakhstan between designated border ports. ¶15. (SBU) On January 23, two of the four Rapiscan Model 627DV X-Ray machines purchased by EXBS were delivered to the Customs Control Committee for use at the Korgas and Kaizhat Customs facilities. The remaining two machines are expected to be delivered during February. ¶16. (SBU) On January 23, two survey meters, eight personal radiation pagers, and gloves and other inspection equipment were delivered to Murat Baimukhanbetov, Chief of the Customs Control Department in Almaty, for use at Almaty International Airport. ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE ¶17. (U) None. ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY ¶18. (SBU) On January 22, the Kazakhstan Senate ratified the Geneva Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and the document has been sent to Kazakhstan's President Nazarbayev for signature. ASTANA 00000248 003.2 OF 003 The purpose of the Convention is to ban or restrict the use of specific types of weapons that are considered to cause unnecessary or unjustifiable suffering to combatants or to affect civilians indiscriminately. Currently 102 states are members of the Convention. ¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION ¶19. (SBU) On January 29, during a meeting between CBP Deputy Assitant Commissioner Stallworth and General-Major Marat Mazhitov, First Deputy Director and Chief of Main Staff, Border Guard Service, the issue of assistance in repairing the U.S.-donated vessel "Sea Ark" and EXBS-donated SAFE boats was raised. (The details of the conversation will be reported to Washington separately.) III. RED FLAG ISSUES. ¶20. (U) None. HOAGLAND