EXBS: GEORGIA MONTHLY REPORT JANUARY 2010

UNCLAS TBILISI 000195 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 JANUARY 2010 ¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: ¶1. EXBS Tbilisi welcomes Ms. Eka Parghalava who has been selected as our new Assistant Program Coordinator. Eka will assume her duties on March 1, 2010. ¶2. A NATO contingent visited Poti, Georgia, January 27-28 to meet with Georgian Coast Guard (GCG) leadership to discuss NATO partnership goals. A follow-up report outlining revised goals and recommendations for the GCG is expected to be released by NATO by February 15. The report is likely to include recommendations for enhanced coastal surveillance and communication capabilities along with additional training needs. GCG leadership emphasized that these partnership goals will be the primary focus of GCG planning and requested that EXBS related assistance, where applicable, support and/or align with meeting those goals. ¶3. Given current planning that calls for the Georgia Border Security and Law Enforcement (GBSLE) program to close at the end of FY 2011, EXBS will become the primary assistance provider for Georgia border security initiatives. EXBS is working closely with GBSLE and its contractors to become familiar with current projects and to identify areas where EXBS can expand upon or complement GBSLE efforts in the near future, particularly in the areas of coastal surveillance and GCG communications capabilities. Technicians from GBSLE contractor Allied Technology Group will arrive in Georgia in early February to install the first of four new digital coastal radar stations. The EXBS Maritime Advisor (MA) will accompany GBSLE to meet the technicians to discuss installation layout and operational capabilities with a goal of designing and satisfying remaining command, control and communications needs. ¶4. An unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey of Poti harbor was completed in January with no UXO discovered. Additionally, remaining portions of destroyed vessels within the harbor are scheduled for removal in early February thereby clearing the way for dredging operations at the GCG base. The initiation of dredging operations, as well as the construction of a vessel repair facility and a closed circuit television security system, is pending approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and EXBS. ¶5. In response to our letter offering assistance with repair of donated equipment, lists of damaged equipment were received from the Georgian Patrol Police (PP),Revenue Service (Customs),Nuclear Radiation Safety Service (NRSS),Border Police (BP) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs Special Operations Center (SOC). NRSS identified some missing parts and problems associated with our recent donation of equipment. Four GR135 RIIDs require repairs; three belong to Customs and one to the SOC. The PP reported problems with portal monitors, which were referred to the Department of Energy (DOE) Second Line of Defense representative. The BP has two non-functioning radiation pagers. ¶6. GCG leadership requested access to the EXBS contracted English language instructor in Poti to assist with the establishment of an Qlanguage instructor in Poti to assist with the establishment of an English language training program at the BP headquarters in Tbilisi. ¶7. Captain Emzar Moistsrapishvili has been appointed to serve as the Head of the GCG Resources Management Division, filling the vacancy created by the dismissal of Commander Vepkhvia Bibileishvili. A meeting with Captain Moistsrapishvili will be scheduled for February. II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. ¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD 21 Jan: The MA, EXBS Program Coordinator (PC) and the DOE Coordinator visited the BP warehouse to inventory U.S. donated detection equipment. Sixty-one radiatio pagers and five TSA-PRMs, donated by DOE for use at ports of entry, were identified. The DOE Coordinator will make arrangements to transfer the equipment to the Patrol Police, the agency that now staffs the POEs. 25-27 Jan: The MA travelled to Baku, Azerbaijan. The purpose of the trip was to meet Baku country team members and Azeri Coast Guard (AZCG) leadership as well as to become familiar with AZCG maritime capabilities and current maritime assistance efforts. Inclement weather precluded planned site visits and meetings with AZCG leadership; however, MA still met with local EXBS, DTRA, ODC, DAO and DOE-NNSA representatives to discuss ideas and plans for future engagement. As a follow-up to this visit, the MA will submit a recommended maritime assistance plan for th e EXBS advisor in Baku, via formal memorandum, which will be sent through the U.S. Coast Guard Office of International Affairs and DOS ISN/ECC Bureau for review/endorsement. 29 Jan: EXBS advisor Hiscock returned from leave. ¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: January - March: Defense Language Institute - English for Specific Purposes. The English language lab instructor is currently enrolled in this internet-based course to improve her use of English in technical areas. ¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: (5)Radioactive Source Containers - NRSS (GTRI, EXBS) TBD ¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: --UPCOMING TRAINING: March: Tracker system administration training and installation of equipment. Tracker computer equipment will be delivered on March 16, followed by installation and training. USCG International Maritime Officer Course A GCG officer will attend the International Maritime Officer's Course (IMOC) at Yorktown, VA. Another IMOC is scheduled for August - December 2010. University of Georgia / Export Control Academy The MA and two representatives from the Revenue Service and the Ministry of Defense will attend. 31 March - 4 June: USCG Maritime Law Enforcement Boarding Officer course (MLE)/ Prospective Commanding Officer course / on-the-job training. Two GCG Officers will attend the above sequence of training. April: MLE Instructor course A USCG Mobile Training Team (MTT) will conduct this training in Georgia for maximum of (12) students. April - May: MLE Joint Boarding Officer Course A USCG MTT will conduct this training in Georgia for a maximum of (24) students. 12 May - 13 August: USCG Machinery Technician "A" School, Yorktown, VA / OJT Two GCG personnel will attend this training sequence. 17 May - 8 October: USCG Electricians Mate "A" School, Yorktown, VA / OJT Two GCG personnel will attend this training sequence. Spring 2010: Industry Outreach Seminar This seminar will be presented by DOE NNSA/INECP. Participants will include 25-30 representatives from local industries. The Revenue Service provided a full list of (63) companies that engage in export control related activities. Representatives from the major industries will be invited to the seminar. Commodity Identification Training (CIT): EXBS, in cooperation with NNSA/INECP, is planning a series of CITs throughout 2010. A questionnaire has been circulated to relevant agencies and forwarded to INECP to determine the frequency, timeframe and location of the regional trainings. The ultimate goal is to establish a national strategy for CIT in Georgia. 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 donated as part of the course. --EQUIPMENT STATUS: PENDING PROCUREMENT OR DISTRIBUTION: (1,170) Officer Utility Belts and Equipment. BP and Police Academy (NSOI) $286,916 Spare Parts and Equipment - GCG $100,000 (109) Thermal Imaging Cameras - BP (NSOI) TBD (Shipment is pending licensing.) Covert Surveillance Equipment - MOIA TBD ¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NON-PROLIFERATION OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY: Archil Kvitashvili, the Head of the Military-technical Department of the Ministry of Defense, has resigned. The Military-technical Department is the lead agency for export control in Georgia and Mr. Kvitashvili has been actively guiding the development of new export control legislaion in cooperation with EXBS and our EU colleagues. In addition, the Department has been downsized from sixteen to five people. The new Head of the Department is the former Deputy Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance, Levan Zarandia. We do not believe that Mr. Zarandia has any background in or previous exposure to export control concepts. The target timeline for introduction of the new Export Control legislation to Parliament is March 2010. Should the legislation pass, it is uncertain how the recent change in leadership will affect its implementation. III. RED FLAG ISSUES: POC for this report is Charles Hiscock, EXBS Program Advisor. Telephone +995 32 277312. LOGSDON