KAZAKHSTAN: EXBS ADVISOR'S REPORTING CABLE (APRIL 2009)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000771 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 (APRIL 2009) ASTANA 00000771 001.2 OF 002 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. On April 27, Kazakhstan tightened epidemiological control at all airports, seaports, and land border crossings in response to reports of cases of H1N1 influenza virus in other countries. Kazakhstan has prohibited the importation of pork products from certain countries and is using the Fever Scan M3000 thermal imaging system at airports in Astana, Almaty, Atyrau, Aktobe, Aktau, and Karaganda to screen for individuals with elevated body temperatures. ¶2. On April 24, Laurel Cotton, the Project Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Energy's Second Line of Defense (SLD) Program, met with representatives from the Customs Control Committee in Astana prior to conducting site visits to Southern Kazakhstan from April 27-30. ¶3. From May 18-22, an International Counterproliferation Program (ICP) course on Weapons of Mass Destruction Basic Investigative Analysis will be held in Astana. The course will be presented by officials from the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED ¶4. On April 7, the EXBS Advisor met with Lars Karlsson, Director, Capacity Building, World Customs Organization (WCO),and representatives from the Customs Control Committee, including Ermek Kozhabergenov, Acting Head of the Department of International Relations, Botagoz Abilova, Chief Specialist of International Relations Department, and Dauren Tulemissov, Deputy Head of Customs Control Organizing Department, to discuss EXBS activities in Kazakhstan. During this meeting it was revealed that the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee plans to make a presentation at the May meeting of the WCO in Norway, in an effort to gain designation of Kazakhstan as a Regional WCO Training Center and therefore tap into WCO capacity-building assistance in creating a Regional Customs Academy. ¶5. On April 9, the EXBS team met with Lt. Colonel Erik Sergazin, Head of the Customs Control Organization of the Customs Control Department in Almaty, and Aktolkyn Abeuova, Head of the International Relations Division of the Customs Control Department in Almaty. Discussions were conducted on training and equipment needs of the Almaty Customs Control Department. ¶6. On April 9, the EXBS team met with Alexander Nestertsov, Director of Alkor LTD in Almaty, and inspected the three portable shelter complexes and related equipment produced by this company prior to acceptance of the property. ¶7. On April 16, there was an Embassy Security Assistance Working Group (SAWG) meeting during which EXBS-sponsored activities scheduled through September were discussed. ¶B. TRAINING COURSES CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶8. During April 13-24, the EXBS program manager and two representatives from Kazakhstan attended the University of Georgia's Center for International Trade and Security Export Control Academy in Athens, Georgia. The participants from Kazakhstan were Azat ASTANA 00000771 002.2 OF 002 Makhmudov, International Security Division of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zhussupbekov Nurlan, Export Control Department of The Ministry of Industry and Trade. ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶9. On April 9, a ceremony was held in Almaty where three portable shelter complexes and related equipment valued at $700,000 were transferred to Major General Shintas Utyapov, Commander of the Shigis Regional Border Guard Directorate. Funding for these shelters was provided by the U.S. Department of State's Nuclear Smuggling Outreach Initiative (NSOI) in response to a need identified by the Kazakhstan Border Guard Service. ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE ¶10. During May 11-16, EXBS is sponsoring an International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT) course which will be conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in McAllen, Texas for 12 Kazakhstan Customs officials. ¶11. During June 8-12, EXBS is sponsoring an International Rail Interdiction Training course which will be conducted in Saryagash, Kazakhstan, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. ¶12. During June 18-19, EXBS is sponsoring an Enterprise Outreach Workshop in Almaty, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy's International Nonproliferation Export Control Program (INECP). This workshop will involve local compliance experts from Kazakhstani organizations that have developed, or are developing, the capacity for an internal compliance program under which a supplier organization has procedures to determine if their items require an export license or raise technical issues related to non-proliferation. ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY ¶13. None ¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION ¶14. During April 13-15, the U.S. Navy Central Command (USNAVCENT) sponsored a visit to the U.S. by Rear Admiral Abikeyev, Chief of the Kazakhstan Border Guard Service's Maritime Directive, and two members of his staff. The purpose of the visit was to view the cooperation between the U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies on the maritime border between the United States and Canada, focusing on the Great Lakes, Maine, and Washington areas. III. RED FLAG ISSUES. ¶15. None. MILAS