EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - October

UNCLAS BAKU 000869 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - JFRIEDMAN, 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 - October 2009 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶A. Commander Ross Stroebel from the U.S. Coast Guard completed an intensive two week cooperative study of Azerbaijani Coast Guard (AJCG) maintenance, sustainability, and logistics capabilities. A final report and recommendations were made available to the AJCG, DTRO, and EXBS. ¶B. The State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan hosted the third session of the Coast Guard Working Group between 27-28 October under the auspices of the International Border Police Committee. The topic was "Providing Security for Oil/Gas Fields and Related Infrastructure at Sea". Attendees included coast guard officers or other related officials from Estonia, Finland, Russia, Turkey, U.S., and Frontex. Additional details below. ¶C. Given that the SBS is not currently participating in EXBS funded training, no equipment purchases will be made for the SBS until which time they resume participation in EXBS funded training courses. ¶D. The AJCG Commander expressed support for sending two junior AJCG officers to long term resident training in the U.S. The EXBS Advisor is in the process of notifying the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) through official channels with the goal of a training start date in summer 2010. ¶E. United States Sixth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Clingan visited Azerbaijan and met with the Commander of the AJCG on 21 October. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 2 October - EXBS Advisor attended a meeting between U.S. Coast Guard Commander Ross Stroebel and the Commander of the AJCG General Ilham Mehdiyev. This meeting was a week end summary of Commander Stroebel's findings for General Mehdiyev. The main topic of discussion was the AJCG urgent need for additional IT staff needed to maintain U.S. funded upgrades to vessels, land based radar systems, and the JC3 center. General Mehdiyev agreed that this is a serious issue and stated that the AJCG is in the process of hiring IT staff and other technically skilled professionals but that they are having difficulty filling such positions due to the low pay offered by AJCG. General Mehdiyev expressed interest in U.S. assistance for a train the trainer program for IT and electronics specialists in order to train existing staff rather than hiring trained IT specialists. 6 October - EXBS Advisor met with Shahin Bagirov of the State Customs Committee (SCC) to discuss future EXBS cooperation with SCC. Topics included the current status of equipment purchases, SCC interest in radiation portal monitors at the Baku Customs Terminal, EXBS Advisor request for a tor of the Baku Customs Terminal, the prospect of Targeting and Risk Management (TRM) course and an X-ray analysis course to be held in Azerbaijan, and the recent seizure of radioactive material on the Russian border. Mr. Bagirov stated that due to lack of funding the SCC targeting center has not yet been launched and staff for the center has not been identified and therefore a TRM course in Azerbaijan would be premature. He further stated that SCC has on staff very well trained and experienced X-ray analysis experts and therefore any training offered by EXBS on this topic should be very advanced. As for the radioactive material seizure at the Russian border Mr. Bagirov had not been notified of this event. 9 October - EXBS Advisor attended an out briefing between Commander Stroebel and General Mehdiyev at which the findings of the two week assessment were presented. The focal points of the assessment were as follows; although the AJCG maintenance system needs improvement and modernization, AJCG ships are underway and patrolling 24/7; the functional areas most in need of modernization are IT, electronics maintenance, and JC3 operations. As to additional AJCG staffing needs to support IT Stroebel recommended that the AJCG have two IT specialists on staff at HQ and one additional specialist available to roam between HQ and the radar sites. Commander Stroebel suggested that a small delegation from the AJCG visit his maintenance and JC3 facilities in the immediate future to which General Mehdiyev was receptive. A diplomatic note inviting appropriate AJCG representatives to the Boston Regional USCG facilities was sent to the SBS via MFA on 14 October. The tentative dates for this trip are 6-12 December or 31 January to 6 February 2010. MFA and SBS approval is pending. General Mehdiyev expressed interest in sending three more junior AJCG officers to long term residency training in the U.S. The focus of individual studies would be mechanical, electronics, and IT. 9 October - EXBS Advisor and EXBS Program Coordinator met with Mr. Nusrat Suleymanov of the Foreign Ministry to discuss proposed EXBS activities in Azerbaijan for FY10. Topics included equipment purchase for SCC, possible EXBS funded training courses for the coming fiscal year, the USCG assessment of the AJCG, Leahy vetting, GOAJ response to a March 2009 proposal from NSOI, the status of an SBS grant agreement for equipment provided in FY09, and diplomatic note procedures and turnaround time. On the subject of Leahy vetting Mr. Suleymanov stated that this issue is under internal GOAJ review and that a resolution will be reached soon and that until a resolution is issued training courses requring Leahy vetting will be approved or denied on a case by case basis. On the NSOI proposal Mr. Suleymanov stated that an official response might be given at the upcoming bilateral security dialogues in Washington. 21 October - EXBS Advisor briefed U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Clingan on the history and current status of EXBS cooperation with the AJ Coast Guard. Admiral Clingan then visited General Mehdiyev at the AJCG base. 21 October - EXBS Advisor met with the Deputy Chief of the Institute of Radiation Problems Ibrahim Gabalov to discuss Mr. Gabalov's ideas relating to IRP participation in future EXBS funded training opportunities. Mr. Gabalov's recommendation was to follow the Ukrainian model for the training of State Customs Committee cadets in dual use commodity identification using IRP as the trainers and subject matter experts. 27-28 October - EXBS Advisor and Naval Attache Matt Verich attended a working group of coast guard officers from states with which Azerbaijan has favorable and active engagement. The focus of the discussion was on security of oil and gas fields and methods of data analysis for maritime domain awareness. State Border Guard leadership invited U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen but he was unable to attend and no other U.S. Coast Guard representatives attended. Country Team recommends future participation by USCG or similar agency in future events as it offers an excellent opportunity to engage with AJCG in areas of mutual concern. 29 October - EXBS Advisor chaired a meeting of the Baku Peace and Security Working Group to discuss details of the upcoming Bilateral Security Dialogues to take place from 4 to 5 November in Washington. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the working group of talking points for the dialogues and to update the U.S. delegates on any significant information from the field. 30 October - The EXBS Advisor met with program manager for NADR/Humanitarian Demining Program Deborah Netland and DTRA expert on SALW and MANPADS Mark Adams to discuss prospects for further cooperation with GOAJ on physical protection improvements or destruction of SALW and conventional munitions. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: NONE ¶C. ITEMS DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: Description US $ Value ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: TRAINING: NONE EQUIPMENT - Procurement in process: Description US $ Value Hand-held Trace Detectors/Analyzers Out for bid Baggage X-ray System Radioisotope Identifiers X-ray Florescence Metal Analyzers Portal Type Metal Detectors 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