URGENT REQUIRMENT TO RESTORE 64K IVG LINE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BISHKEK 000259 SIPDIS FOR DTS-PO MAIN DIRECTOR FROM AMBASSADOR GFOELLER DIR DTSPO BRS/SDD BRS/CMD DEPARTMENT FOR IRM/OPS AND SCA FRANKFURT FOR RIMC E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2019 TAGS: ACOA ANET KG SUBJECT: URGENT REQUIRMENT TO RESTORE 64K IVG LINE FOR EMBASSY BISHKEK Classified By: Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT DIRECTOR ORSHOSKI, I AM WRITING TO REQUEST YOUR PERSONAL HELP TO RESTORE ONE 64K IVG CHANNEL FOR EMBASSY BISHKEK. WE DESPERATELY NEED THIS CAPABILITY IN ORDER TO HAVE SECURE VOICE COMMUNICATIONS WITH WASHINGTON POLICYMAKERS. NEXT WEEK, WE WILL HOST A SENIOR US NEGOTIATING TEAM, LED BY AMBASSADOR JACKSON MCDONALD. AT ISSUE IS FUTURE ACCESS TO MANAS COALITION AIRBASE HERE IN BISHKEK, WHICH IS A VITALLY IMPORTANT LOGISTICS HUB FOR OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM IN AFGHANISTAN. AMBASSADOR MCDONALD AND HIS TEAM WILL NEED RELIABLE SECURE VOICE CONNECTION TO WASHINGTON DURING THEIR NEGOTIATIONS NEXT WEEK. IN RECENT MONTHS, EMBASSY BISHKEK HAS HAD CHRONIC ISSUES TRYING TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SECURE VOICE. WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DTS-PO, AND APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT WE HAVE RECEIVED. OF THE MANY SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED AND TRIED, ONLY THE 64K IVG CHANNEL HAS PROVEN TO WORK. INITIALLY, POST WAS UPGRADED TO THREE 64K IVG CHANNELS, BUT WE NOW UNDERSTAND THIS CANNOT BE SUSTAINED, AND WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE 64K IVG CHANNEL. WE UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THAT, BUT WE NEED ACCESS TO AT LEAST ONE 64K CHANNEL. UNFORTUNATELY, WE LEARNED THIS MORNING THAT DTS-PO HAS RECONFIGURED OUR IVG LINES TO 16K, WHICH WILL NOT SUPPORT SECURE VOICE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, GIVEN THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS WE FACE HERE, AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THE 64K OPTION WORKS. IN SUM, THERE APPEAR TO BE NO TECHNICAL REASONS IMPEDING OUR ACCESS TO SECURE VOICE; WE NEED ONLY YOUR SUPPORT TO INSTRUCT YOUR STAFF TO RESTORE ONE 64K IVG LINE TO BISHKEK. MY DCM, LEE LITZENBERGER, PLANS TO CALL YOU AT OOB YOUR TIME IN WASHINGTON TODAY, MARCH 27, TO DISCUSS THIS URGENT MATTER FURTHER. I APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ADVANCE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. GFOELLER