VZCZCXRO5273
RR RUEHAST RUEHDBU
DE RUEHTA #0094/01 0110834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110834Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8155
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS SERVICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUETIAA/NSA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC
RUCQAAA/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0397
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 7828
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 7777
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0737
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1983
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 7085
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ASTANA 000094 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE RBUCK 
DEPT FOR SCA/RA JSCHLOSSER 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN MO'MARA 
CBP/INA FOR CDONOFRIO AND RWATT 
USDOE/NNSA CWALKER, TPERRY AND EDESCHLER 
DOC FOR DCREED AND GPETERSEN-BEARD 
USCG FOR BGOLDEN 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE 
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE AND ASHGABAT FOR EXBS 
ADVISORS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP KZ
SUBJECT:  EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR'S MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE 
(DECEMBER 2006) 
 
 
¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
      ¶1. Kazakhstan's Customs Control Committee Chairman Askar 
Shakirov's proposed visit and draft itinerary to the United States 
under the Volunteer Visitor Program (VVP) has been approved in 
concept by DOS Public Affairs.  Jeff Hartshorn suggested exploring 
the possibility of changing the visit from the VVP to the 
International Visitor Program (IVP).  The IVP covers the entire cost 
of a U.S. visit whereas the VVP only covers expenses after the 
visitors have reached the U.S.  After conferring with Public Affairs 
and other Embassy officers, it is understood that the funding for 
the IVP is programmed annually and not available for this visit. 
Additionally, it is understood from Public Affairs that the IVP is 
designed for mid-level officials rather than high-ranking officials 
such as Chairman Shakirov.  Nonetheless, the EXBS Advisor will 
attempt to validate that the IVP alternative is truly not an option 
before dismissing the idea.  This is a unique opportunity for the 
EXBS Advisor to spend an entire week one-on-one with the senior 
Kazakhstani Customs leadership and should not be missed.  The next 
step is to meet with the Chairman in January, dates TBD, to discuss 
and lock in final itinerary details. 
 
 ¶2.  As the Kazakhstan bureaucracy has matured, the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA) has become increasingly insistent on being the 
conduit for all international engagement activities.  The MFA would 
like to formally be involved in the decision making process of all 
U.S. Government program activities.  This includes approval of 
participants in various workshops, training events, conferences as 
well as requests for meetings, visits and exchanges.  The MFA 
recently expressed dissatisfaction when coordination for engagement 
activities was completed without input from the MFA.  The EXBS 
Advisor asks the supporting USG agencies take note of this and 
transmit requests through the MFA.  Post of course encourages 
agencies to continue to communicate informally with their contacts. 
 
 
 ¶3.  Blue Lantern program, DOD, requested EXBS assistance in 
validating the location and serial numbers of all Night Vision 
Goggles (NVG) donated under the EXBS Program.  100% of all NVGs have 
been accounted for by serial number and location.  All NVGs are 
operational except for one broken unit.  This effort is closed.  How 
to address the disposition of the damaged NVG is TBD. 
 
 ¶4.  Other administrative activities accomplished:  Country 
clearance for Douglas Evans (DOC/CTP) Internal Control Program / 
Administrative Enforcement Instructor Training to be held in 
Pavlodar and Astana in January. Diplomatic Note requesting 18 names 
of Border Security officers for International Seaport Interdiction 
Training (ISIT) to be held in Charleston S.C. February 12-16, 2007. 
Diplomatic Note requesting participation of Ms. Gulnara Elegabayeva 
of the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee (KAEC) for DOE/NNSA 
meeting on nuclear export control to be help in Washington D.C. 
during the week of January 22, 2007. 
 
 ¶5. Draft FY07 EXBS Budget plan was completed and presented to the 
Department in December.  A thorough and comprehensive analysis of 
Kazakhstan's needs and USG goals was considered and incorporated 
into the draft.  As the plan is a draft, there is still work to be 
done and decisions to be made on what D.C. is willing to support. 
All proposed initiatives have been prioritized and the EXBS Advisor 
and staff are prepared to discuss specifics upon request. 
 
 ¶6. Tracker Program status.  After lengthy dialog with Ms. Dina 
 
ASTANA 00000094  002 OF 005 
 
 
Akpanbaieve, head of export / import licensing department, Ministry 
of Industry and Trade, further effort on the U.S. Tracker Program is 
no longer desired.  Kazakhstan has developed its own licensing 
system which has already been fielded.  No further action on the 
U.S. Tracker Program is anticipated.  Unless the Department requires 
formal closure to the Tracker Program initiative, this message will 
mark the close of this program. 
 
 ¶7. Second Line of Defense (SLD).  Erik Deschler (DOE), SLD Portal 
Monitor Program Manager, requested permission in December to conduct 
late stage site assessments at projected installation sites.  This 
program has been underway for several years and is nearing fruition; 
however, the Kazakhstani Customs Control Committee insists that a 
contract between AHTNA, DOE's program implementation contractor, and 
the Kazakhstani implementing contractor be signed before any further 
site assessments take place.  Until then, permission to conduct 
further surveys will be postponed.  It should be noted that the 
Kazakhstani government appreciates this program.  However the 
Customs implementing contractor, with whom AHTNA will contract, has 
already incurred significant expense without a signed contract. 
Unless there is other information the EXBS Advisor is not privy to, 
the Customs Committee's request for a contract appears reasonable. 
The situation has been communicated to Erik Deschler and the status 
on the contract and appropriate way-forward will be established in 
early January. 
 
 ¶8. Two donated X-Ray vans.  Kazakhstani Customs has requested that 
the two X-Ray vans receive maintenance.  The estimated cost for this 
is undetermined.  The problem is the units will not turn "on." 
Without an experienced technician's evaluation it is not known 
whether the problem is a major or minor problem.  The EXBS Advisor 
has recommended to DOE/NNSA (Laural Cotton) that if old funding 
monies are available perhaps a periodic maintenance analysis can be 
planned. 
 
 ¶9. Fiberscope Repair.  Kazakhstani Customs awaits a decision from 
EXBS on plans to repair 7 broken fiberscopes.  Carla D'Onofrio, 
HLS/CBP, is the point of contact on this to determine whether there 
is old money budgeted for these repairs or the cost must be factored 
into the FY07 plan.  EXBS Advisor will make contact with Carla on 
the best way-forward. 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED 
 
 ¶1. No site assessments were conducted during December due to the 
holiday season and a multitude of other engagement activities 
previously scheduled.  Beginning in January 2007, EXBS has set aside 
one week each month for the entire year to conduct border site 
assessments on all Kazakhstani borders (Annual EXBS calendar 
forwarded to Jeff Hartshorn and updated weekly). 
 
 ¶2. As of the end of December, Baku-based EXBS Regional Maritime 
Advisor Mike Taffe continues to report that planned hull 
anti-fouling paint and winterization for the three donated SAFE 
boats in Aktau, Kazakhstan did not occur - specifics for the delay 
are still not known.  A new date for the painting and winterization 
is yet to be determined. EXBS advisor Mike Seguin will make contact 
with Mike Taffe to better understand the state of the SAFE Boat 
program.  A tentatively planned joint Office of Military Cooperation 
/ EXBS meeting with MoD and Border Guard officials may take place 
week of January 8 in Aktau to address specific areas of concern 
 
ASTANA 00000094  003 OF 005 
 
 
regarding the SAFE boat project, noted in the October report. 
However, unless a clear way forward is planned to address the Safe 
Boat maintenance issues, EXBS will not participate in this event. 
 
 ¶3.  At USAID's invitation, EXBS staff attended and presented the 
EXBS program to a USAID Conference held in Almaty December 6-8 on 
Central Asian Customs and Border Control issues entitled Trade 
Facilitation and Investment Project.  EXBS Advisor Mike Seguin 
briefed the international Central Asian Customs community on EXBS 
Program initiatives and participated in anti-corruption breakout 
sessions.  The conference was of value in that it brought together 
all Customs entities (mid- and senior- level managers) from 
throughout Central Asia to discuss and brainstorm methods of 
enhancing, among other things, control of customs procedures to 
prevent the proliferation of WMDs. 
 
 ¶4.  Also during the week of December 4, the EXBS office met with 
the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Almaty.  IOM 
has supported INL with procurement services and equipment 
distribution much like LATA is presently doing with EXBS's purchase 
and delivery of portable shelters and Ural trucks.  The meeting was 
of value in that IOM could be a potential resource for similar 
future EXBS initiatives.  IOM also has indicated a desire to 
participate in the EXBS site assessment and training schedule in an 
attempt to lessen the burden on Kazakhstani Customs and Border Guard 
activities by packaging visits together.  IOM also focuses on 
training the Customs and Border Guard on effective passport control 
methods - a program geared, among other things, to detect potential 
signs of illegal trafficking (including WMDs). 
 
 ¶5.  December 15 EXBS team met with the Military Institute.  This is 
the academy where the National Security Services are trained (KNB - 
former KGB).  This is also where the Border Guard security services 
train their junior leadership.  This was a unique opportunity to 
introduce the EXBS program to the people who have the responsibility 
for institutionalizing training across Kazakhstan.  It would be in 
the EXBS program's best interest to cultivate a relationship with 
this organization to standardize both border security doctrine and 
perhaps more important to help develop an Inspector General (IG) 
inspection program that ensures standards are known and maintained 
uniformly throughout the country.  The commanding general was out of 
the office during the visit, but his deputy and staff thought it 
worthwhile to explore further the idea of engagement with the EXBS 
Program.  The EXBS Advisor offered to come back and present to the 
General the EXBS Program and discuss areas of previous engagement 
and potential areas for future engagement.  The value of this 
meeting cannot be overstated as it is very difficult to establish 
comprehensive dialogue with this organization. It is noteworthy that 
INL has already taken the first steps in establishing an exchange 
program with the Military Institute; EXBS should consider following 
suit.  Also while there, EXBS proposed that representatives from the 
Military Institute's Border Guard section be included in the planned 
February ISIT training to be held in Charleston, South Carolina. 
 
 
¶B.  TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
 ¶1.  December 4-8 EXBS office attended DOE WMD Commodity 
Identification Workshop in Almaty conducted by a team of 4 and led 
by Chris Walker.  In attendance were representatives from Customs, 
Border Guard, Nuclear Safety Center, and Ministry of Industry and 
Trade, among others.  The workshop focused primarily on Nuclear 
Commodity Identification, but also touched on Biological and 
 
ASTANA 00000094  004 OF 005 
 
 
Chemical materials.  This event focused on all aspects of WMDs and 
was well conducted and received.  The participants recommended 
continuing with this format.  One comment the workshop attendees 
particularly focused on was the need for support of a Technical 
Information Center.  This initiative should be explored in the 
future and has been proposed in the FY07 EXBS Program Budget. 
 
 ¶2. December 14-15 - The Department of Commerce/Commonwealth Trading 
Partners (CTP) conducted an extremely well done Internal Control 
Program (ITP) workshop along with the Kazakhstani non-governmental 
organization Business Info.  This workshop was a follow-on to 
November's training in Astana geared toward orienting various 
Kazakhstani agencies - most notably the Ministry of Industry and 
Trade (MoI&T) - with customized Kazakhstani software for use in 
commodity identification.  This software will be used to support 
Kazakhstan's industry outreach efforts and standardize the method 
used for Nuclear Commodity Identification.  Ms. Dina Akpanbayeva 
again indicated a need for other related support in both hardware / 
software including focus on Biological and Chemical commodities in 
the future.  Also discussed was the desire for a web-based solution 
to facilitate industry outreach.  The EXBS budget subsequently 
proposed a portion of the FY07 funding be allocated to this end - 
pending assessment and approval by D.C. 
 
¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
      ¶1. No equipment delivered during this reporting period. 
 
¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE 
 
 ¶1. Dip note sent to the MFA in November for dates for DOE to 
conduct installation and necessary software upgrades to 3-each 
portable X-ray Florescence (XRF) Metal Analyzers used at various 
border locations.  Customs responded in December with a request for 
names and dates of those proposing to conduct the upgrades. DOE was 
contacted, and the requested information will be provided by 
mid-January. 
 
 ¶2. EXBS office continues with the preliminary planning stages for 
USCBP sponsored 5-day ISIT training event to be held February 12-16 
in Charleston, S.C. for 18 mid-level and senior Border Guard 
officers.  Purpose is to conduct training (Train-the-Trainer) in 
"Hands-On" Interdiction techniques and practices.  Also invited was 
representation of the Kazakhstani Military Institute.  Presently the 
EXBS staff is coordinating all logistics and administrative issues 
(i.e. visas, tickets, lodging). 
 
 ¶3. EXBS Advisor invited to attend World Customs Organization 
sponsored anti-corruption conference in Almaty January 17-19. 
 
 ¶4. January 16-25 Douglas Evans (DOC/CTP) with Business Info will 
conduct Internal Control Program / Administrative Enforcement 
Instructor Training to be held in Pavlodar and Astana in January. 
 
 ¶5. Site assessment week planned for January 20-25 on south 
Kazakhstan region (Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan Border). 
 
 ¶6. Annual Export Control System Questionnaire scheduled for 
submission to the MFA second week of January.  First, must validate 
the currency of the existing questionnaire with EXBS D.C. 
 
 ¶7. EXBS staff planned introductory meetings in January with 
leadership of Border Guard, Customs, Ministry of Industry and Trade 
 
ASTANA 00000094  005 OF 005 
 
 
and Ministry of Foreign Affairs after approval of the FY07 budget is 
received from D.C. 
 
 ¶8.  Portable Shelters and Ural Trucks (LATA T.O. 79).  EXBS 
provided LATA with points of contact and names of Border Guard 
officials to facilitate the shipment of T.O. 79 donations.  There 
are still a number of minor issues to resolve in the logistics of 
this rather complicated and significant transfer, which is projected 
to happen in late February or early March.  The EXBS office will 
continue to closely monitor the details of this project throughout 
the month of January and update D.C. as required. 
 
¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
      ¶1. Nothing other than relayed above. 
 
¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION 
 
      ¶1. Nothing other than relayed above. 
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES. 
 
      ¶1. None. 
 
MILAS