VZCZCXRO5802
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHTA #2003/01 3160853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120853Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6805
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 2137
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2208
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1507
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1142
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 1555
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1697
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 002003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
DEPT ALSO FOR ISN/ECC JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN, SROBINSON 
DEPT ALSO FOR ISN/ECC-AMT LSPRINGER, DLYONS 
DEPT ALSO FOR EUR/ACE DFISCHER 
DEPT ALSO FOR SCA/RA JSPILSBURY 
CBP FORINA KCHAISSON AND BPICKETT 
ENERGY FOR 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 (OCTOBER 
2009) 
 
ASTANA 00002003  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶I.  BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
NONE 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
¶A.  SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED 
 
¶1.  October 8, EXBS Advisor had his initial meeting with Border 
Guard leadership.  The Deputy Chairman was unavailable so the 
meeting was chaired by Admiral Kenzhebergen Abikeyev, Commander of 
the Kazakhstan Maritime Border Guards.  Admiral Abikeyev welcomed 
the advisor and thanked him for all the support EXBS has given in 
the past and expressed his hopes for further support in the future. 
He then discussed some of the threats and challenges facing the 
border guards, elaborating on the diverse border conditions and 
threats ranging from narcotics to terrorism.  He briefly discussed 
the border guards' three year plan for strengthening the 
Uzbek/Kazakh border, which involves portable shelters supplied by 
the EXBS program.  Admiral Abikeyev then explained procedures for 
requesting meetings and visits, which requires Diplomatic Notes to 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the final decision being made 
by the National Security Chairman. (NOTE:  The meeting was very 
short, 20 minutes, and no issues were covered in any depth.  The 
message conveyed was one of "cautious cooperation" under the firm 
guidance of the KNB.  END NOTE.)  Advisor requested border visits to 
the sites on the Uzbek border where portable shelters will be 
deployed. 
 
¶2.  October 12-13, EXBS Advisor attended the First Preparatory 
Conference for the 18th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum held 
in Astana.  Although titled "Economic and Environmental," the 
two-day conference mainly dealt with transportation security and 
streamlining customs procedures.  Delegates from over 30 OSCE 
countries attended the conference and discussed topics ranging from 
legal and regulatory procedures to infrastructure improvement.  The 
first day focused on streamlining customs procedures, problems 
within the transportation infrastructure, and simplifying customs 
clearance procedures. Several concepts were introduced ranging from 
literally no control over goods to complex clearance procedures. 
The two main concepts were "one stop shop" where representatives of 
all required agencies are located at the port of entry and "single 
window" where documents are transmitted to a single database which 
is accessible by all agencies for clearance.  Kazakhstan has 
recently introduced one stop shop as their clearance procedure and 
has noted considerable time savings at the ports of entry.  Most 
agreed that customs clearance procedures need to be standardized and 
streamlined; however this process will require changes in legal and 
regulatory frameworks, which can only be achieved by government 
cooperation on the bilateral and multilateral level.  The second day 
focused on trade facilitation, strengthening private-public 
partnerships, modernizing national transit systems, and security at 
border crossing points.  Border security can be strengthened by 
utilizing an integrated border management concept, which requires 
high level government cooperation to ensure interagency cooperation 
as well as cross-border cooperation.  The bottom line is that trust 
must exist between governments, agencies, and the private sector 
before real progress can be made in streamlining trade 
facilitation. 
 
¶3.  October 14, EXBS Advisor briefed a team from the Government 
Accounting Office (GAO) on the EXBS program.  The team was in Astana 
to evaluate the 1206 program operated by the Office of Military 
 
ASTANA 00002003  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Cooperation. 
 
¶4.  October 21, EXBS Advisor attended the International Donor 
Coordination meeting hosted by EU BOMCA.  Representatives from OSCE, 
UNHCR, UNODC, UNDP, BOMCA, and the Embassies of Lithuania, France, 
UK, Czech Republic, and Russian Federation gave updates on ongoing 
projects and briefed on plans for future engagement on border 
security projects. 
 
¶5.  October 22, Advisor briefed members of CAPSTONE on the EXBS 
program in Kazakhstan and answered questions on border security 
trends and capabilities. 
 
¶6.  October 26, Advisor met with Mr. Nurlan Zhussupbekov and Mr. 
Turmakhan Orazanbet, export control experts from the Export Control 
and Licensing Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. 
They gave advisor a brief overview on the export control and 
licensing systems in Kazakhstan.  We discussed dual use and 
munitions/military use lists, procedures for license application, 
volume of licenses processed, and training provided.  Mr. 
Zhussupbekov briefed advisor that a new procedure has been approved 
and will be adopted before the year's end.  The new procedure will 
provide for a "single window" where all information will come to the 
licensing department for coordination between the required 
ministries.  Currently, the system requires the exporter to 
coordinate letters between the required ministries and submit a 
completed package to the licensing department for licensing 
determination, a process which takes anywhere from 30 days to four 
months.  The new procedure, by regulation, must be completed within 
30 days.  Mr. Zhussupbekov expressed concern that the 30-day time 
limit wasn't enough time to give the process due diligence and fears 
that it will weaken the licensing process. 
 
¶B. TRAINING COURSES CONDUCTED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
None 
¶C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
None 
 
¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE 
 
TRAINING: 
 
International Rail Interdiction Training scheduled for November 16 - 
20 in El Paso Texas has been cancelled due to border guard and 
customs inability to fill class slots. 
 
EQUIPMENT: 
 
¶1.  The Regional Procurement Support Office/Frankfurt (RPSO) 
executed a contract for the procurement of five (5) 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) 
executed a contract for the procurement of five (5) 
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 
 
ASTANA 00002003  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY 
 
None 
 
¶F. CASPIAN SECURITY INFORMATION 
 
None 
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES: 
 
None 
 
HOAGLAND