EXBS: GEORGIA MONTHLY REPORT OCTOBER 2009

UNCLAS TBILISI 002012 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - ACHURCH, EMCPHERSON AND LSPRINGER DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - DFROMAN AND MSTEWART CBP/INA FOR ESEYMOUR-REDD AND NSIMPSON USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY, EDESCHLER, AND RTALLEY COAST GUARD FOR SATAMAN, SHABTEMICHAEL, AND JCAIRL NRC FOR JRAMSEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP GG SUBJECT: EXBS: GEORGIA MONTHLY REPORT OCTOBER 2009 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. EXBS Georgia has recently learned that the Operation and Maintenance manual for the Caterpillar 3412 diesel engine is available on CD in the Russian language. The model 3412 engine powers the former U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 82' Point Class patrol boats donated to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The manual covers basic engine safety and operating procedures along with preventative maintenance requirements and procedures. The CD can be ordered through any Caterpillar dealer by referencing media number SRRU6728. ¶2. USCG shipyard subject matter experts (SMEs) toured the Georgia Coast Guard (GCG) ship repair facility in Poti as part of a project to enhance the ability of the GCG to internally maintain and repair their fleet. Initial observations were that the existing building was in extremely poor condition and located at an impractical distance from the water. They also noted that should a decision be made to refurbish the existing building, the GCG would be unable to even minimally maintain their boats during a period of construction which could extend up to a year. As an alternative, they recommended considering construction of a new building that would be located closer to the harbor and specifically designed for the purpose. ¶3. The USCG SMEs also had an opportunity to observe one of the U.S. donated cutters out of the water and undergoing propeller repair. They noted that the condition of the hull was visibly very poor with three evident holes and nearly 50 percent deterioration of the original steel plating. This vessel is one of two scheduled for dry-docking and maintenance with EXBS funds. The hull condition raises the question as to whether the project should proceed and, if so, whether funding will be sufficient to recondition both vessels to a level of operational safety. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD 04 Oct: The Maritime Advisor (MA) and the USEMB Force Protection Officer met with USCG International Training Division, Mobile Training Team (MTT) personnel to provide a country briefing and to discuss training plans for the Incident Command Systems (ICS-300) course scheduled for 5-9 Oct. 05 Oct: The Program Coordinator (PC) and MA visited the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOIA) Police Academy for the first day of the ICS-300 course. The MA provided brief remarks. The PC and MA also met with MOIA Police Academy Director, Khatia Dekanoidze, to discuss plans for the course graduation ceremony. 09 Oct: The EXBS Advisor (EA),PC and MA attended the ICS-300 graduation ceremony. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Jeff VanDreal spoke and congratulated the students on behalf of the U.S. The ceremony received national media coverage. 15 Oct: The EA and MA met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) North Atlantic Division Commander, Colonel Peter Deluca, and Georgia USACE project engineer Charles Samuel. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce Colonel Deluca to the Georgia EXBS team and Qmeeting was to introduce Colonel Deluca to the Georgia EXBS team and to discuss EXBS related projects which will potentially be supported by USACE. 19 - 20 Oct: Newly assigned EXBS Country Manager (CM) Eric McPherson visited Georgia for an initial familiarization. During his short time in country, and in addition to meetings with EXBS staff, he met with DCM Logsdon and had separate EXBS related briefings from USACE, POl/Econ, INL, GBSLE and the FBI WMD Coordinator. The CM also met with Mr. Archil Kvitashvili, Head of the Military-Technical Department of the Ministry of Defense to discuss the revision to Georgian Export Control laws, and with Herman Rivera, a visiting INL communications SME, to discuss the radio communications needs of the Border Police. 25 Oct: The MA and EA met in Poti with two SMEs from the Baltimore USCG shipyard and a USACE structural engineer to assess the existing GCG vessel repair facility and tooling and to make recommendations for improvement based on USCG best practices. 26 Oct: The MA, EA, USACE and the USCG SMEs met with Commander Vepkhvia Bibileishvili, Head of Resources, to introduce the USCG specialists and to discuss the goals of their visit. Also discussed were details of the planned closed-circuit television security surveillance system for the perimeter of the Poti GCG base. The Commander, USACE and the EA subsequently toured the 2.2 kilometer fence line to be covered. 27 Oct: The MA met with Captain Giorgi Kveselava, Head of Operations to provide an update on the 82' patrol boat dry dock plan and to obtain an update on current GCG operations. Commander Bibileishvili identified a piece of land close to the water that would be avilable for a new ship repair building should we decide to build new rather than refurbish the old. 28 Oct: The USCG SMEs and the MA toured the Batumi Maritime Academy and met with the Academy Head of Administration, Teimuraz Gatserelia. The purpose of the visit was to familiarize the USCG specialists with locally available training capabilities and resources for hull and engine repair. 27 - 28 Oct: The PC attended a regional Seminar on Export Controls organized by the Swedish Agency for Non-proliferation. The seminar was attended by the EU donor countries of Sweden, Finland, Germany, Estonia, Poland, and Belgium. Attendees from recipient countries included Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova. Discussions and presentations included: Fundamentals of Successful Export Controls (EC),Successful EC System Safeguards, EC from a National Perspective, EU Outreach Activities, and Confidence Building Measures. The PC spoke on EXBS program goals and activities in Georgia, and emphasized the importance of donor coordination. 30 Oct: The PC attended a meeting organized by the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) to review the final draft of Georgian export control legislation and to coordinate CY10 donor activities. The meeting was attended by representatives from Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Slovakia. Representing the GOG were representatives from the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Security Council. The PC briefed the donor community on upcoming EXBS projects including: regulatory and industry outreach workshops, possible assistance with the development of an EC website, and possible assistance with printing a short, handbook type version of the EC legislation for use at ports of entry. BAFA intended to conduct industry outreach seminars. However since EXBS took the lead in this area, the EU will focus on a series of dual-use workshops. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 5 - 9 Oct: Incident Command Systems (ICS)-300. A total of 23 personnel from various agencies within the MOIA completed this USCG course. The course received positive reviews from the students. Course instructors recommended that follow-up Qfrom the students. Course instructors recommended that follow-up courses be offered in the near future for senior MOIA policy makers. October: Mechanical/Electrical Training This first, locally funded, five-week, mechanical/electrical training course for the benefit of the GCG was held at the Batumi Maritime Academy. This course was developed as a result of a joint training agreement between the MOIA Police Academy and the Batumi Maritime Academy and represents the first foray into local training by the GCG. ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: None ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: --UPCOMING TRAINING: 1) Date TBD: Tracker system administration training and installation of equipment. 2) November 9-11: Commodity Identification Training Training will be conducted in Batumi by INECP and provided to (30) officers from Customs and Coast Guard. 4) November - December (Exact date TBD) Controlled Delivery Training Training will be conducted by ICE and will include participants from the MOIA Special Operations Center, Special Operations Department, and Anti-terrorist unit. A selection of covert surveillance equipment will be provided as part of the course. --EQUIPMENT STATUS: --PENDING PROCUREMENT OR DISTRIBUTION: (1170)Utility Belts and Equipment - BP (NSOI) $286,916 Spare Parts, Equipment - GCG 70,000 (5)Radioactive Source Containers - NRSS (GTRI, EXBS) TBD (109) Thermal Imaging Cameras - BP (NSOI, EXBS) TBD ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NON-PROLIFERATION OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY: ¶1. A Governmental Decree, signed by Prime Minister Nika Gilauri, was issued on October 22. According to the decree, the automated software system 'Tracker 7' that was initiated by the Export Control and Related Border Security program will regulate export control licensing procedures. The purpose of the Decree is to direct the Ministries of Economic Development, Environment and Natural Resources, Defense, Internal Affairs, and Finance to make relevant changes, within two months, to their regulations to comply with the system. The responsible agency for Tracker implementation was designated as the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance. ¶2. Georgian export control legislation is in final draft and will be introduced to Parliament at a meeting in Warsaw, Poland on December 9-12. Attending will be representatives from EU donor countries as well as high level GOG officials from the Presidents Administration, the Legal Committee of the Parliament, and relevant ministries. III. RED FLAG ISSUES: None POC for this report is Charles Hiscock, EXBS Program Advisor. Telephone +995 32 277312. BASS