EXBS RUSSIA MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 002020 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NP/ECC - ACHURCH DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - DMARTIN CBP/INA FOR PWARKER USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP UP RS SUBJECT: EXBS RUSSIA MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE JULY 2009 Summary: This cable highlights activities of the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Russia Program Office for the period of July 01, 2009 to July 30, 2009. End Summary ¶1. EXBS Russia staff contributed to President Obama's successful visit and related events in Moscow July 6-8. Advisor Joan Agerholm worked in the control room of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (where the Obama family stayed). Assistant Konstantin Troyan and the EXBS Jeep were pressed into service as part of the motorcade that transported Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns to a memorial service for slain journalist Paul Klebnikov at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. ¶2. EXBS Russia has submitted its ideas and suggestions to the US-Russia Bilateral Commission announced by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on July 6th during the Moscow summit. EXBS's program focus on export controls and border security was deemed most applicable to the goals of the Working Groups on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Security, and on Drug Trafficking. ¶3. EXBS Russia obtained agreement from Russian Customs to move forward with a seminar on Supply Chain Security in Russia the week of September 14-18, and also to move forward with planning for an advanced training session for operators of Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) equipment in Russia in November or December. ¶4. EXBS contractor Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP),through its Russian partner, the Center for Export Controls (CEC),conducted its last export controls training in Russia under the current agreement. The Internal Compliance Program (ICP) workshop held in Moscow July 21-22 attracted approximately 20 industry representatives from Moscow and the regions. Specialists from the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEK),Russian Customs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and CEC updated the audience on major Russian export controls laws and changes to those laws, as well as Russian government agencies' areas of responsibility in upholding export controls regulations. The training consisted of two parts: day one was devoted to Russian export rules and regulations; and day two consisted of hands-on computer work with the Product Identification tool (PIT). In addition, the CTP representative gave a presentation about best practices for structuring and implementing an Internal Compliance Program in an exporting enterprise. ¶5. The staffs of EXBS and of the Law Enforcement Section (LES), within which EXBS is located, provided urgent assistance to the CTP contractor who participated in the two-day export controls seminar after she was injured in a car accident on her way back to the airport. The contractor was examined by a Russian ambulance doctor at the scene and then transported to the European Medical Center. The embassy Medical Unit was consulted, as well. No significant injuries were revealed, although the consensus was to delay her departure for the US by one day. EXBS and LES staff worked quickly to change her flight, arrange for a hotel at the airport, work with the Foreign Ministry to extend her visa by one day (it was due to expire on the original date of departure). The embassy team, led by LES chief Peter Prahar, took care of all the details quickly and efficiently so that this situation could be brought to a successful conclusion. ¶5. This office submitted travel, operating, housing, and FSN budget requirements to State for FY 2010. RUBIN