VZCZCXRO3773
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHTA #1809/01 2800054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070054Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6563
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 2018
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2086
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1387
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1033
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1448
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1574
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001809 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC: JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN, SROBINSON 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC-AMT: LSPRINGER, DLYONS 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE: DFISCHER 
DEPT FOR SCA/RA: JSPILSBURY 
CBP/INA: KCHAISSON AND BPICKETT 
USDOE/NNSA: CWALKER, TPERRY, EDESCHLER 
DOC FOR DCREED 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE 
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE AND ASHGABAT FOR EXBS 
ADVISORS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC MNUC KNNP KSTC KZ
 
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  EXBS ADVISOR'S REPORTING CABLE (SEPTEMBER 
2009) 
 
ASTANA 00001809  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶I.  BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
EXBS Advisor Robert Colbert departed Astana on September 12 for his 
home in Texas.  We thank Bob for his two years service in Kazakhstan 
and wish him well in his future endeavors. 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
¶A.  SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED 
 
¶1. September 1-10, EXBS Advisor Paul Shott processed into Embassy 
Astana and conducted office turnover with departing EXBS Advisor 
Robert Colbert. 
 
¶2.  September 15, EXBS Advisor and administrative assistant met with 
the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Customs Control Committee. 
The Chairman welcomed the new advisor to Kazakhstan and gave a brief 
overview of customs operations and goals for the future.  He touched 
on Kazakhstan's upcoming OSCE Chairmanship and the need for stronger 
transportation security.  He hinted that he would prefer to organize 
operations more in line with U.S. DHS/CBP operations versus EU 
procedures, referring directly to the Customs Operational Management 
Center designed after the CBP National Targeting Center.  He talked 
about Kazakhstani government support of customs operations and a 
loan of $62 million from the World Bank over the next two years 
targeted for customs improvements.  He also mentioned the opening of 
a World Customs Organization Regional Training Center in Astana 
scheduled for December 2009.  The regional center will be used to 
train customs officers throughout Central Asia on all aspects of 
customs, from legal and legislative to enforcement and 
investigations.  The chairman asked EXBS for financial support for 
the regional center, stating that this project lacks donor support. 
He mentioned that if we couldn't support the project he would ask 
the Chinese for support although he stated openly that asking the 
Chinese for support was not his preferred direction. 
 
¶3. September 16, EXBS Advisor and administrative assistant met with 
the Deputy Chairman of the Customs Control Committee to visit the 
Operational Management Center and to discuss proposal for funding 
the World Customs Organization Regional Training Center.  The 
Operational Management Center was very impressive, with 
representation from Customs, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, 
Transportation and Communications, Health and National Security. 
The center currently monitors 12 of the 166 international border 
crossings, with provisions to expand operations to cover all 166 
crossings in the future.  Although impressive, it is not without its 
drawbacks.  All agencies represented are currently on their 
organizations' databases, as well as the customs database, which 
hampers effectiveness of information flow both internally and 
externally.  Efforts are underway to resolve this problem; however 
"ownership issues" are a concern.  After the tour, the Deputy 
Chairman pitched his request for funding for the WCO Regional 
Training Center.  His request was for $320,000 for computer and 
audio-visual equipment as well as furniture.  EXBS has allocated 
$250,000 for training center upgrades.  However, customs indicated 
they need the money by the end of September, which is impossible to 
achieve.  Advisor explained that we are interested in supporting 
training centers and will have money in the future, but not by 
September 30.  Advisor also explained that, although there are some 
exceptions, EXBS funds are programmed years in advance, not weeks. 
 
¶4. September 18, EXBS Advisor accompanied POL/ECON and DTRO officers 
 
ASTANA 00001809  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
to a meeting with Mr. Kevin Farmer, ISN/CB.  Mr. Farmer gave us a 
read out of the Central Asian Biological Weapons Conference he 
attended in Astana.  The conference was designed to raise awareness 
of the Biological Weapons Convention, advise and assist in 
regulatory guidance, and bring the Central Asian countries into the 
fold by offering mutual support in the region. Mr. Farmer briefed 
that all NDF funds are currently on hold pending project reviews but 
hopes that the VERTEX project funds would be released by November. 
 
¶5. September 30-October 1, Advisor attended the Central Asia Border 
Security Initiative conference, hosted by the European Union Border 
Management Central Asia (EU/BOMCA) held in Tashkent.  The conference 
was attended by representatives from UN, USA, OSCE, IOM, Russian 
Federation, Austria, and Japan in addition to representatives from 
all five Central Asian countries.  Integrated border management was 
the theme of the conference, highlighting the fact that without 
strong border security, regional stability in Central Asia is at 
risk.  The EU claimed that the BOMCA program is the most productive 
border management program in Central Asia, although other programs 
have been effective.  BOMCA pushed for more ownership from the 
Central Asian countries, noting that "donors will not be there 
forever."  We received briefings from representatives of each 
Central Asian country on their progress in the areas of regional 
border security and counternarcotics.  The underlying theme of all 
the country briefings was that drug reduction was the first 
priority, with organized crime and corruption control running a 
close second and third.  The OSCE gave a briefing on the newly 
established Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe, Tajikistan 
which will run their first classes in October.  The college in not 
just regional, it is open to all 56 participating OSCE states and 
strives to enhance the knowledge of present and future senior 
leaders.  The course focuses on international "best practices" in 
the fields of border management, information sharing, and 
cross-border cooperation.  The United Nations Office of Drugs and 
Crime gave a briefing on Automated Donor Assistance Mechanism 
(ADAM), a web based program where donors can input data on projects 
they are doing in the region.  Donors are encouraged to use the 
program to de-conflict projects within the donor community to ensure 
efforts are not duplicated.  The system requires registration, user 
name and password, and displays all donor information within the 
region a donor in planning to operate.  The ADAM system has received 
funding from the U.S. government. 
 
¶B. TRAINING COURSES CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
None 
¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
September 17 - 85 laptops and nine power point projectors with 
screens valued at $75,000 for the Kazakhstani Border Guard Service's 
Training Centers was delivered to EXBS. 
 
 
¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE 
 
TRAINING: 
 
International Rail Interdiction Training for eight Border Guards and 
eight Customs Officers is scheduled for November 16 - 20, in El Paso 
Texas. 
 
 
 
ASTANA 00001809  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
EQUIPMENT: 
 
¶1. The Regional Procurement Support Office/Frankfurt (RPSO) executed 
a contract for the procurement of five portable modular shelter 
complexes valued at $1,178,330. 
These shelters are part of the Kazakhstan Green Border Project and 
will be purchased using EXBS and NSOI provided funding.  Delivery of 
the first shelter is scheduled for October 13. 
 
¶2. The Regional Procurement Support Office/Frankfurt (RPSO) is 
executed a contract for the procurement of five 
X-ray baggage screening systems valued at $620,565 for the 
Kazakhstan Customs Control Committee.  Delivery date pending. 
 
 
¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
 None 
 
¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION 
 
 None 
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES: 
 
 None 
 
HOAGLAND