EXBS ADVISOR MAY 10 TO JUNE 09, 2009 MONTH END REPORT,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 001498 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC DFORBES, LSPRINGER, AND YWONG SCA/RA FOR JSPILLSBURY SCA/A CBP/INATR GRISING AND JJEFFERS DHS/ICE FOR AMEFFERD DOE/NNSA FOR JCOLLINS DOC/BIS FOR DCREED USCG FOR SHABTEMICHAEL AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CBP ATTACHE AMEMBASSY MOSCOW FOR ICE ATTACHE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL KG AF SUBJECT: EXBS ADVISOR MAY 10 TO JUNE 09, 2009 MONTH END REPORT, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: EXBS activities during this reporting period included: ¶1. (U) EXBS Advisor Fetty attended the EXBS Advisor's conference in Tbilisi from May 31 - June 6. EXBS delivered a diplomatic note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting that they assist Customs with obtaining frequencies and licenses for Motorola Radios EXBS plans to provide to the Kabul International Airport. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR REPORTING PERIOD (KABUL, AFGHANISTAN): ¶A. Site Assessments and Meetings held during this Reporting Period. ¶1. (U) The Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program has been working with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) to establish a modern Import/Export licensing system. Bearing Point Management and Technology Consultants have been contracted to provide the equipment and training. Deloitte Consulting LLP has been contracted to install the equipment. The equipment was delivered to the Embassy in April, 2009. On June 9, 2009 the EXBS staff met with Gerald Turcott, Senior Manager of Deloittle to inventory the equipment and discuss arrangements for delivery to MoCI. ¶2. (U) The EXBS staff met with Afghan Deputy Minister for Customs and Revenues Mr. Gul Magsood Sabit and his Executive Assistant Mr. Khalilullah Salihzada to discuss future cooperation, equipment and training that can be provided by EXBS. Mr. Sabit stated that he is very grateful for the equipment and assistance that the United States has provided to date. The Advisor informed the Deputy Minister that EXBS is conducting market research for fire fighting equipment. The fire fighting equipment will be placed at commercial cargo facilities and ports of entry. The Deputy Minister also requested additional training on the new x-rays that EXBS provided. The Director is very interested in getting enforcement training institutionalized in the Customs academy. The Advisor informed the Director about the training program for host government academy instructors that is held at FLETC with follow-up visits to the host country by FLETC instructors. ¶3. (U) EXBS met with representatives from Allied Machinery to discuss repairs and maintenance on two thirteen-ton forklifts that are scheduled to be delivered to Heart and Jalalabad Inland Customs Depots. ISN/ECC will provide two fund cites for the repairs and delivery. EXBS has requested that GSO Procurement secure a company that can deliver EXBS donated equipment to BCP sites on the Afghan borders. ¶4. (U) On May 19, 2009 the EXBS staff delivered a new Toyota Corolla patrol vehicle to the Director of Kabul International Airport Customs, Mr. Alhaj Amir Mohammad. ¶5. (U) On June 2, 2009 EXBS Assistant Roohullah Shekaib delivered four computers, two printers and one scanner to the Director of the Kabul International Airport, Mr. Ameer Mohammad Niazi. ¶6. (U) On June 8, 2009 the EXBS staff met with Mr. Sharifullah Ibrahimi, Director General of Transportation Private Sector. Mr. Ibrahima was with Afghan Customs for three years and recently transferred to the transportation department. Mr. Ibrahimi was highly involved with EXBS programs during his time with Customs. He outlined his plans to modernize the Afghan Transportation Service and requested EXBS provide assistance where there is nexus between the Afghan Customs and Transportation agencies. KABUL 00001498 002 OF 003 ¶B. Training Conducted During Report Period. ¶1. None ¶C. Training Programs Pending. ¶1. (U) EXBS delivered a diplomatic Note to the Government of Afghanistan inviting them to send three participants to the United Nations Resolution 1540 Workshop. The Workshop will be held June 23 - 25 in Colombo, Sri Lanka and hosted by the Governments of Sri Lanka and the United States. EXBS was informed by MFA that the Afghan Desk Officer assigned to work with the UN is working on the logistics. EXBS Afghanistan has requested that ISN/ECC provide funding for a Resolution 1540 Workshop in Kabul, Afghanistan. This workshop would provide the information to produce documentation that would result in satisfying Afghanistan's UNSCR 1540 submissions. The previous EXBS Advisor has made inquires to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this proposed event and all the associated Ministries having a stake in UNSCR 1540 are supportive of this workshop. EXBS headquarters has indicated a willingness to fund and sponsor the 1540 workshop. The EXBS workshop will consist of a cross section of more than 13 Ministries. Opportunities for ministries to interact and network on issues of non-proliferation are rare. EXBS is providing an important vehicle to bring Ministries routinely together. EXBS hopes that the knowledge gained by the three participants to the Resolution 1540 Workshop in Sri Lanka will greatly enhance their ability to implement 1540 in Afghanistan. ¶2. (U) EXBS delivered a Diplomatic Note to the Government of Afghanistan inviting them to send three participants to the tenth International Export Control Conference in Istanbul, Turkey on June 25 - 27, 2009. The Governments of Turkey and the United States will co-host the event. Officials from more then sixty countries have been invited to attend the conference. The Ministry provided three names to EXBS. The names were provided to the conference implementers. ¶3. (U) EXBS has entered into an agreement with BMTF to use BMFT Mentors located near border crossing posts and Inland Cargo Depots (ICDs) as trainers on selected EXBS equipment. The trainers will have experience as border inspectors and knowledgeable on the equipment. This agreement was reached because of the difficulty EXBS has in traveling to certain areas within Afghanistan due to the increased security concerns. BMTF Mentors stationed at Islam Qualah and Towr Kham Border Crossing Points (BCPs) have provided training on Busters and assorted inspection tools. The Mentors will train Customs and Border Police Officers assigned to the ports on the equipment and then turn the equipment over to Customs. Like kind inspection equipment is being planned for the Border Police stationed at the BCPs. On the more technical equipment, subject matter experts will be required to conduct training on the radiation and metal detection/identification devices. Once a source for this training has been identified and the training completed, this equipment can be fielded immediately. The EXBS office continues to work with ISN/ECC to find an acceptable source for this training. Getting the equipment out to the BCPs is a top EXBS priority. ¶4. (U) The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) provided the Embassy with an official notice stating that they welcome the assistance of the Embassy and EXBS in developing a new Export Control Law (Strategic Goods Act). This law, based on European KABUL 00001498 003 OF 003 Union (EU) models of similar laws, will incorporate control lists and provide the legal foundation to institutionalize controls on the movement of weapons of mass destruction and their precursors. EXBS provided funds to translate a version of a model EU law into Dari. The model EU law will serve as a starting point for the MoCI to draft their Strategic Goods bill. Other key stake holders such as the Ministry of Finance (Customs) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have expressed their commitments to getting this draft legislation completed. This project will build capacity for the Afghan government in the area of non-proliferation controls and will provide a legal foundation for the use of international Control Lists and Import, Export and Transshipment controls for the movement of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The new hardware and software will automate their current license control system. This effort will include a database that can efficiently manage licensing approvals as well as give the law enforcement community better visibility of the movement of all shipments in and out of Afghanistan. Until recently, due to security concerns in the Kabul area, EXBS was unable to provide follow-up legislative development assistance. ISN/ECC is in the process of scheduling this assistance. III. RED FLAG ISSUES: ¶1. (U) No Red Flag Issues to report. EIKENBERRY