VZCZCXRO4558
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHTA #1805/01 2610824
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170824Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3330
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0119
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC 0056
RUCQAAA/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0487
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 8332
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 8196
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0055
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2395
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 7353
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY 0736

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN, SROBINSON 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE DFISCHER 
DEPT FOR SCA/RA JSPILSBURY 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN MO'MARA 
CBP/INA FOR SBAKER AND BPICKETT 
USDOE/NNSA CWALKER, TPERRY AND EDESCHLER 
DOC FOR DCREED 
USCG FOR SHABETIMICHAEL 
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 (AUGUST 
2008) 
 
¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
¶1. On August 7, 2008, a U.S. Senate delegation lead by Nevada 
Senator (and Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid visited Kazakhstan 
as part of a multi-country trip.  Other senators making the trip 
included Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Johnny Isakson 
(R-GA), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ). 
 
¶2.  On August 7, 2008, a meeting of the Kazakhstan interdepartmental 
border security group was held at which it was announced that 
preparations are underway for the demarcation of the 6,846 kilometer 
border between Russia and Kazakhstan. Demarcation envisages the 
creation of the full-fledged border infrastructure, including 
settling issues of building border checkpoints and placing border 
signs.  Demarcation will start in the Astrakhan region in early 2009 
and will move along the Russia-Kazakhstan border from west to east. 
 
 
¶3. On August 5, 2008, the ratified agreement between Kazakhstan and 
Kyrgyzstan which is the legal basis for the demarcation of the 1,051 
kilometer Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan state border took effect. The 
presidents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed a border treaty on 
December 15, 2001. 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED 
 
¶1. On August 1, 2008, the EXBS advisor attended a special country 
team briefing held for Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey, Acting 
Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).  The EXBS advisor 
gave a presentation on EXBS activities in Kazakhstan. 
 
¶2. On August 11, 2008, a meeting was held with Deputy Chief of 
Mission Kevin Milas to discuss an incoming letter from the Acting 
Chairman of the Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee requesting 
assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on a wide range 
of Customs related issues.  In response to this request, EXBS has 
reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and will attempt 
to arrange a meeting in Astana during the late October or early 
November timeframe. 
 
¶3. On August 19, 2008, the EXBS Advisor attended a special country 
team meeting conducted with Lieutenant General James J. Lovelace, 
Commanding General U.S. Army Central (USARCENT).  During this 
meeting the EXBS advisor gave a presentation on EXBS activities in 
Kazakhstan. 
 
¶4. On August 21, 2008, the EXBS advisor participated in an Embassy 
Astana Security Assistance Working Group (SAWG) meeting.  Among the 
topics discussed was the status of the Second Line of Defense 
efforts in installing radiation portal monitors in Kazakhstan, the 
status of the Customs Control Committee's $62 million dollar 
modernization program, and the Customs Control Committee's letter to 
the Deputy Chief of Mission requesting assistance of U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection. 
 
¶5. On August 28, 2008, the EXBS team met in Astana with Tracy 
Mustin, Director, DOE Second Line of Defense (SLD) Program.  During 
this meeting Laurel Cotton, the Project Coordinator for the SLD 
Program, introduced a new contractor, Tetra-Tech Inc., which is part 
of a team led by SES-Tech Global Solutions of Bellevue, Washington. 
Contractor representatives at this meeting included Randal Roberts, 
Vice President, Donald Hawkins, Contracts Manager, and Michael 
Hoxie, Supervising Project Manager.  SES-Tech will be used to 
complete phase two of the SLD project in Kazakhstan. 
 
ASTANA 00001805  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. On August 28, 2008, the EXBS advisor met with Nicholas Pokrovsky, 
International Services and Advisors Inc., and Tracy Mustin, the 
Director, SLD Program, on the proposal to engage Kazakhstan in the 
deployment of Mobile Detection Systems.  The objective of the Mobile 
Detection System (MDS) program is to establish and identify priority 
issues leading to an agreed upon list of needed equipment and a 
completely self-sustaining program that protects the partner country 
and other nations from the dangers of illicit traffic in nuclear and 
other radioactive material.  As the result of this meeting, the EXBS 
Advisor provided a copy of the Law on the State Border, the Criminal 
Procedural Code, and the Law on Operational-Investigative Activity 
of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Second Line of Defense Program, 
as requested. 
 
¶7. On August 29, 2008, Laurel Cotton, the Project Coordinator for 
the SLD Program, and representatives of SES-Tech Global Solutions 
met with Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee officials to discuss a 
broad range of matters concerning the implementation of the second 
phase of the SLD program in Kazakhstan.  During September 2008, site 
surveys will be conducted at the following 8 ports: Kurmangazy, 
Urlyutobe, Kairak, Korgas, Sipatai Batyr, the Tobol rail crossing, 
the Atyrau airport, and the Aktau seaport. 
 
¶B. TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶1. From August 23-31, 2008, a United States Coast Guard Mobile 
training course on the search of high-capacity containers was given 
at the port of Aktau, Kazakhstan, to 14 Border Guard students.  This 
course was sponsored by the Office of Military Cooperation. 
 
¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶1.  From August 13-15, 2008, Elina Akhtiyarova, EXBS Assistant, 
accompanied technical specialist Steven Patton and Britain 
Groesbeck, Allied Technical Services, to Shymkent, Kazakhstan, for 
the salvage of X-ray van 220, and to Kordai, Kazakhstan, for the 
demounting of an X-ray system from van 215.  The work was conducted 
in the presence of the Chief Specialist of Fissile and Radiological 
Materials Control and Technical Means of the Customs Control 
Division, Major Zolotukhin. 
 
¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE 
 
¶1.  None. 
 
¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
¶1.  None 
 
¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION 
 
¶1. None 
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES. 
 
¶1. None 
 
MILAS