EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - January

UNCLAS BAKU 000059 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - KBILGE CBP/INA FOR CSTALLWORTH, RWATT, KCHAISSON, CDONOFRIO USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY, RTALLEY DOC FOR PETERSEN-BEARD COAST GUARD FOR SHABTEMICHAEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AJ SUBJECT: EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - January 2010 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶A. Leadership of the State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan has provided Leahy vetting information for a training event to be held in the US and claims that the Leahy dispute is past. ¶B. Officials from NAVEUR have prepared a draft Country Action Plan which will propose significant future engagement with the Azerbaijani Coast Guard (AJCG). ¶C. NSOI leadership is planning a trip to Baku at the end of February 2010 to present and negotiate a joint action plan with an interagency group identified by the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan. ¶D. EUCOM CNT is actively exploring options to provide ion detector equipment for the State Customs Committee to be installed at major ports of entry. Expected delivery date is FY2011 and Post implementer will be ODC. ¶E. The EXBS Advisor and the Regional Maritime Advisor, Lt. Dan Owen, are drafting a memo outlining a strategy for continued near term EXBS and DTRO support to the Azerbaijan Coast Guard. ¶F. Azerbaijan authorities volunteered to host a practical EAPC workshop on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, to be held in Baku on 20-21 April 2010. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 12 January - The EXBS Advisor, DTRO Chief, and DOE/SLD Manager met with the Chief of Mission of the local International Organization for Migration (IOM) office to learn details of a recently completed border security project conducted with the State Border Service, State Customs Committee, and State Migration Service of Azerbaijan. The IOM officials provided details of facilities, equipment and training provided during a 30 month implementation period. The project focused on enhancing capabilities on the southern border. Having concluded the mandate, the IOM office is now seeking donors to continue the border program and/or expand the program to cover other sectors of the southern border or other border areas of Azerbaijan given adequate funding. 23 January - The EXBS Advisor met with the Deputy Commander of the State Border Service General Farhad Taghizada to discuss the status of existing and future cooperation on both land border and maritime. General Taghizada highlighted that the SBS is once again participating in EXBS funded training. When questioned as to if the SBS is also going to participate in US funded training domestically requiring vetting, General Taghizada stated that the SBS will be participating in domestic anti terrorism training in April. The Advisor will stay in close contact with the RSO office to follow this development regarding the Leahy dispute. Based on the presumed resolution of the Leahy vetting dispute, General Taghizada requested that EXBS resume equipment donations for the southern border as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the summer season. In particular they are requesting additional supplies for fencing but also request that EXBS reconsider an updated and comprehensive equipment request list to be provided by SBS in the immediate future. The General also explained the plan for the further modernization and professionalization of the SBS. He stated that the SBS presently no longer employs conscript troops at ports of entry including airports. The next phase, to be completed by the end of 2010, will be the elimination of conscripts in the Coast Guard and by 2015 the elimination of all conscripts for the entire border service. He stated that this effort is being accomplished in accordance with the SBS/NATO agreements for IPAP. Lastly, the new SBS training academy is due to open in September 2010. 25 January - The EXBS Maritime Advisor from Tbilisi, Lieutenant Dan Owen, met with Post maritime security stakeholders to discuss overall Caspian maritime security issues especially with regard to USG investment in the Azerbaijan Coast Guard (AJCG). Stakeholders present were representatives from DTRO, EXBS, ODC, and DAO. The group provided detailed input for a memo to be drafted by Lt. Owen on a recommended path forward for US cooperation with the AJCG. A meeting with the AJCG Commander scheduled for the following day was cancelled due to a blizzard and subsequent embassy closure. The meeting will be rescheduled ASAP. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: NONE ¶C. ITEMS DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: Description US $ Value ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: TRAINING: Three Azerbaijani Coast Guard (AJCG) officers will visit U.S. Coast Guard repair, maintenance, and JC3 facilities in Boston from February 1 to 5. The visit will provide firsthand experience for the AJCG officers in numerous operational aspects of maritime maintenance and JC3 facilities. The trip will focus on electronics, sustainment, ship maintenance and repair, Command Center organization and operation, a radar site visit and associated maintenance and spare parts, and ship/station visits. EQUIPMENT - Procurement in process: Description US $ Value Hand-held Trace Detectors/Analyzers Under bid Baggage X-ray System Radioisotope Identifiers X-ray Florescence Metal Analyzers Portal Type Metal Detectors Density Meter Kits Fiberscope Kits Fluke Meters and accessories Megohmmeters Electrical Tool Kits Fluke Comparators ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY: NONE POC for this report is David Hall, EXBS Advisor. LU