UZBEKISTAN: CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FLETC

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000163 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN, EXBS FOR J. HARTSHORN AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PASS TO AMCONSUL HYDERABAD AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019-02-11 TAGS: PBTS PREL ASEC SNAR KNNP UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FLETC COOPERATION CLASSIFIED BY: Steven Prohaska, Second Secretary, P/E Office; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (SBU) On February 4, Emboffs met with five representatives of the State Customs Committee to discuss the development of cooperation between Customs and the U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). EXBS Advisor proposed that two Customs officers travel to the center for a one-week familiarization course and that two U.S. instructors travel to Tashkent to work with the committee this year. ¶2. (C) Head of the International Cooperation Department Bakhodir Yunusov expressed appreciation to the United States for border security assistance including the conducting of over 20 workshops for Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) officials and the provision of various types of equipment since 2001, and expressed interest in renewing cooperation with the United States on border security. Having foreign experts come to Uzbekistan to provide training is not enough, he remarked. Yunusov suggested that exposure to practical experiences in the U.S. would be valuable to Customs officials, noting that having an officer train in the U.S. and bring this expertise back to his colleagues would be beneficial. Yunusov said that they would bring this proposal to the attention of their leadership, and anticipated having a response in the near future. ¶3. (C) Yunusov noted that the struggle against narcotics and WMD-related materials continues, and that these have penetrated Uzbekistan's borders. He said that it is comforting to know that there are radiation portal monitors in Uzbekistan, because with these Uzbekistan has a better sense of attempts to smuggle materials of concern through the country. Customs remains concerned about the transit of contraband and the flow of drugs into Uzbekistan from Afghanistan and Tajikistan, however, and believes that the drug trade is providing funds for terrorists. ¶4. (C) Yunusov complained that Customs inspectors often have to conduct manual inspections which dramatically slow the process of moving goods across Uzbekistan's territory, and hoped that additional scanning equipment could expedite processing at Uzbekistan's border crossing points. Uzbekistan is discussing the possibility of equipping Uzbekistan's borders with more advanced scanning equipment with other countries including China. (Note: Japan also may be able to provide large-scale scanners to Uzbekistan. End note.) ¶5. (SBU) Emboffs also handed over 15 EXBS-funded HP-1710 17-inch LCD monitors and projector bulbs to Customs officials in response to Customs' earlier request for spare parts for border security-related equipment. NORLAND To view the entire SMART message, go to URL http://repository.state.sgov.gov/_layouts/OSS SearchResults.aspx?k=messageid:8890f8ad-a108- 42b5-acd9-ad666c856b60