EXBS: GEORGIA MONTHLY REPORT NOVEMBER 2009

UNCLAS TBILISI 002134 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 JCAIL NRC FOR JRAMSEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP GG SUBJECT: EXBS: GEORGIA MONTHLY REPORT NOVEMBER 2009 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. The Georgian Coast Guard (GCG) Head of Resources, Commander Vepkhvia Bibileishvili, has been dismissed and a successor has yet to be named. Commander Bibileishvili was the main point of contact for several EXBS initiatives at the Georgian Coast Guard base including the restoration of a vessel repair capability, modification of the GCG organizational structure for maintenance, the dredging of harbor waters, and the installation of a closed circuit television perimeter security system. On December 4, EXBS staff met with the Head of Border Police and Coast Guard, Major General Zaza Gogava. General Gogava confirmed that there will be no changes or modifications to the previously agreed plans as a result of the recent dismissal. ¶2. EXBS Tbilisi is pleased to announce that Program Coordinator (PC) Maya Abralava was awarded the first annual Raida Agayeva Memorial Award as the EXBS Program Assistant of the Year 2009. The award was presented by Office Director Justin Friedman during the annual EXBS LES workshop held in Frankfurt on November 17 - 19. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD 06 Nov: At the request of the Department of Energy, International Nonproliferation and Export Control Program (INECP) the EXBS Advisor (EA) and the PC arranged and attended a meeting on institutionalizing commodity identification training (CIT) within the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOIA) Police Academy. The purpose was to find a suitable venue from which to offer CIT to various enforcement agencies and to develop a cadre of technical and non-technical instructors that can teach the course. In addition to INECP and EXBS, the meeting was attended by representatives from the Patrol Police, Border Police, Coast Guard, Revenue Service and the Police Academy. It was generally agreed by the Georgian participants that the Police Academy would be a suitable location for the training. The Coast Guard, for logistical reasons, suggested holding two CIT sessions per year at the Batumi Maritime Academy. INECP will provide EXBS with a letter and questionnaire to distribute to the participants for follow-up planning. 06 Nov: The EA and PC attended a second meeting held at the Police Academy by INECP representatives. This meeting brought together enterprise outreach stake holders to discuss an enterprise outreach workshop tentatively planned for the fall of 2010. In attendance were representatives from the Ministries of Defense (MOD) and Economic Development, as well as the Revenue and Nuclear Radiation Safety Services. MOD and Revenue agreed to compile a list of industries participating in export control. The first industry outreach seminar will include 25-30 participants and will cover updates and changes to the law, general awareness issues, licensing procedures, penalties for violations, and internal compliance mechanisms. INECP will provide copies of agendas from other enterprise outreach workshops and will develop a final agenda based on input received from GOG officials. develop a final agenda based on input received from GOG officials. Presentations will be given primarily by GOG representatives with supplementary presentations provided by US technical experts. The probability of EU participation was discussed as well. The Revenue Service will be responsible for issuing invitations to the industries. 09 Nov: The Maritime Advisor (MA) met with security analysts from U.S. Army European Command. Purpose of the meeting was to brief the analysts on recent maritime activities along the Georgian Black Sea coastline. 11 Nov: The MA and EA met with representatives from the Department of Energy's Second Line of Defense (SLD) program. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the installation of a prototype system for transmitting portal monitor information throughout Georgia into a central location. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 1) November 9-11: Commodity Identification Training Training was conducted in Batumi by INECP and was provided to (20) officers from Customs and (10) officers from Coast Guard. ¶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) 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. 3) Fall 2010: Industry Outreach Seminar Seminar will be organized by the Department of Energy, NNSA/INECP. Participants will include 25-30 representatives from local industries. --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: Georgian export control legislation is in final draft and will be introduced to GOG officials at a seminar in Warsaw, Poland on December 9-11. The following GOG agencies will be represented during the meeting: Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economic Development, Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Parliament, President's Administration, and the Security Council. Also attending will be representatives from EU donor countries and the EA and PC. III. RED FLAG ISSUES: None POC for this report is Charles Hiscock, EXBS Program Advisor. Telephone +995 32 277312. BASS