EXBS: TAJIKISTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - NOVEMBER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 001336 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER DEPT FOR SCA/CEN ALONG, SCA/RA JMCCLELLAN CBP/INA FOR SBAKER, GRISING DHS/ICE FOR AMEFFERD DOE/NNSA FOR JNOBLE, BPENTOLA DOC FOR DCREED USCG SHABTEMICHAEL FRANKFURT PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE BERLIN PLEASE PASS TO CBP ATTACHE MOSCOW PLEASE PASS TO ICE ATTACHE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP SNAR TI SUBJECT: EXBS: TAJIKISTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - NOVEMBER 2009 DUSHANBE 00001336 001.2 OF 003 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS ¶A. On November 2, 2009, Zebo Khasanova began employment as the EXBS Program Management Assistant. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD ¶1. Site Assessments a) On November 5 the EXBS Advisor, Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Program Management Assistant visited the construction site of the Nuclear Radiation Safety Agency (NRSA) laboratory. The EXBS funded construction of the calibration laboratory is moving forward and is on schedule to be completed in late January or early February. b) On November 4 the EXBS Advisor, Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Program Management Assistant visited the construction site of the GOTI Customs Academy. The EXBS Team was accompanied by a computer programmer from the Embassy Dushanbe Information Systems Center. The two computer classrooms were assessed, proposed computer equipment was examined, and approval was given to purchase multi-media equipment. The contractor presented samples of classroom furniture that was not acceptable to the EXBS Office and did not meet the requirements of the contract. The contractor was advised that the classroom furniture had to be constructed to withstand constant use by training participants. c) On November 24 the EXBS Advisor, Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Program Management Assistant visited the construction site of the GOTI Customs Academy. All major construction has been completed. The contractor presented samples of stronger classroom furniture and audio-visual equipment. All the samples were approved by the EXBS Office. The furniture will have to be specially manufactured and the computer equipment will be purchased from outside Tajikistan and will require a delay in the completion date of the project. The contractor applied in writing to extend the completion date for 30 days and it was approved by RPSO. ¶2. Meetings a) During the week of November 16 the Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Program Management Assistant attended the EXBS LES Workshop in Frankfurt, Germany. The Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant gave a presentation on Internal Controls used in the EXBS Dushanbe Office. She also received an award from the Director of Export Control DUSHANBE 00001336 002.2 OF 003 Cooperation. b) On November 19 members of Post Border Law Enforcement Working Group (BLEWG) briefed the Russian Ambassador and members of his staff on border security assistance programs. The EXBS Advisor provided an overview of the EXBS border security program in Tajikistan. It was agreed that the Russian Embassy would do a similar briefing in the future. c) On November 19 the Ambassador hosted an INL/DEA/EXBS law enforcement reception at his residence. The reception was attended by the EXBS Advisor. GOTI law enforcement officials associated with the three programs attended. d) On November 20 the EXBS Advisor met with the Chief Technical Advisor for UNDP. He has temporarily been tasked to represent the EU in matters relating to nonproliferation in Tajikistan. He advised that the EU wants to have a larger presence in nonproliferation programs in Tajikistan. e) On November 20 the Lead EXBS Program Management Assistant and the EXBS Program Management Assistant met with representatives from RPSO in Frankfurt, Germany to discuss two ongoing EXBS funded construction projects and three future projects. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD ¶1. During the week of November 9 the Department of Defense, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) conducted a course on Terrorism and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The course was attended by 32 GOTI Customs, Drug Control Agency, Police and Prosecutor officials. ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING REPORTING PERIOD ¶1. NONE ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE ¶1. Training a) None DUSHANBE 00001336 003.2 OF 003 ¶2. Equipment a) None ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY None III. RED FLAG ISSUES ¶A. None POC for this report is Robert Granico, EXBS Advisor, GranicoRF@state.gov , phone 992 37 229-2804; EXBS Program Assistant Dilorom Ganieva, ganievadn@state.gov , phone 992 37 229-2805. QUAST