EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - July

UNCLAS BAKU 000630 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - KBILGE CBP/INA FOR CSTALLWORTH, RWATT, KCHAISSON, CDONOFRIO USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY, RTALLEY DOC FOR PETERSEN-BEARD COAST GUARD FOR SHABTEMICHAEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AJ SUBJECT: EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - July 2009 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶A. Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) refusal to submit information required for Leahy human rights vetting continues to threaten some EXBS-funded training events. ¶B. The EXBS Advisor continues to push the Foreign Ministry for a written response to the NSOI proposal, but no response has yet been provided. The latest embassy action was an official letter to Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov from Acting Assistant Secretary Vann Van Diepen, which was sent to the Ministry via diplomatic note on 21 July. No response has been received. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD: The Advisor held several meetings with Mr. Fuad Mikailoglu of the NGO Baku Center for Foreign Trade Security regarding their proposal for EXBS to fund a government-to-industry outreach website containing information regarding export controls in Azerbaijan. ISN/ECC management has approved this project and the EXBS Advisor is currently working with the Grants Officer at Post to issue a grant. 17 July - The EXBS Advisor met with a representative from the Cabinet of Ministers to discuss outstanding questions for the University of Georgia country assessment report regarding strategic trade controls. Little useful information was gleaned from the meeting. 21 July - The EXBS Advisor met with Major General Shahin Baghirov of the State Customs Committee (SCC) to discuss the upcoming trip to the U.S. and to discuss a list of equipment needs recently provided by SCC. Mr. Baghirov stressed the need for more XRF metal analyzers and stressed interest in any and all training courses provided by EXBS. 23-24 July - The EXBS Advisor attended consultations at Main State with ISN/ECC Management, Mr. David Froman, and Azerbaijan Desk Officer John Cooney. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: The IBIT II Course scheduled for the week of 6 July in Baku was cancelled due to the refusal of the Foreign Ministry to provide information needed for human rights vetting. 27-31 July - The EXBS Advisor accompanied senior SCC officials on the Targeting and Risk Management -International Visitor Program visit to the U.S. targeting centers in Washington, the passenger and cargo terminals at Boston's Logan Airport, and the cargo and passenger terminals at Niagara Falls. The purpose of this exchange was to provide technical assistance to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan as they have recently launched a national targeting and risk management center in Baku. The participants were Major General Shahin Baghirov, Colonel Igbal Babayev, Major Ramil Asadov, Colonel Azer Mammedov, Captain Vusal Asanov, and Colonel Faig Seyidov. ¶C. ITEMS DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: Description US $ Value Marine Radar MDSC-2210/6 $9,600.00 Module AIS 100 targets AIS - 120 $550.00 CableCW-387-5M Cable CW-376-5M $171.00 Power supply MTPS - 103 20 $820.00 HP Compaq dx2400 PC - 4 pcs $445.93 LCD Monitor - 4 pcs $171.88 ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: TRAINING: Ten officers from the State Customs Committee will attend the International X-Ray Interdict in Course (IXIT) in Laredo, Texas, from 24 to 28 August. EQUIPMENT - Procurement in process: Description US $ Value Hand-held Trace Detectors/Analyzers Baggage X-ray System Gamma spectrometers Gamma-Neutron Survey Meters Neutron Detectors X-ray Florescence Metal Analyzers Portal Type Metal Detectors Radioisotope Identifiers Density Meter Kits Fiberscope Kits ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY: NONE POC for this report is David Hall, EXBS Advisor. LU