VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKB #0869/01 3080706
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040706Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1987
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHDC
RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//DCO-I//
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0105
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0713

UNCLAS BAKU 000869 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, JHARTSHORN 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - KBILGE 
CBP/INA FOR CSTALLWORTH, RWATT, KCHAISSON, CDONOFRIO 
USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY, RTALLEY 
DOC FOR PETERSEN-BEARD 
COAST GUARD FOR SHABTEMICHAEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP AJ
SUBJECT: EXBS: AZERBAIJAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - October 
2009 
 
¶I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
¶A. Commander Ross Stroebel from the U.S. Coast Guard completed an 
intensive two week cooperative study of Azerbaijani Coast Guard 
(AJCG) maintenance, sustainability, and logistics capabilities.  A 
final report and recommendations were made available to the AJCG, 
DTRO, and EXBS. 
 
¶B. The State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan hosted the third 
session of the Coast Guard Working Group between 27-28 October under 
the auspices of the International Border Police Committee. The topic 
was "Providing Security for Oil/Gas Fields and Related 
Infrastructure at Sea". Attendees included coast guard officers or 
other related officials from Estonia, Finland, Russia, Turkey, U.S., 
and Frontex. Additional details below. 
 
¶C.  Given that the SBS is not currently participating in EXBS funded 
training, no equipment purchases will be made for the SBS until 
which time they resume participation in EXBS funded training 
courses. 
 
¶D. The AJCG Commander expressed support for sending two junior AJCG 
officers to long term resident training in the U.S.  The EXBS 
Advisor is in the process of notifying the Government of Azerbaijan 
(GOAJ) through official channels with the goal of a training start 
date in summer 2010. 
 
¶E. United States Sixth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Clingan visited 
Azerbaijan and met with the Commander of the AJCG on 21 October. 
 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
¶A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
2 October - EXBS Advisor attended a meeting between U.S. Coast Guard 
Commander Ross Stroebel and the Commander of the AJCG General Ilham 
Mehdiyev. This meeting was a week end summary of Commander 
Stroebel's findings for General Mehdiyev. The main topic of 
discussion was the AJCG urgent need for additional IT staff needed 
to maintain U.S. funded upgrades to vessels, land based radar 
systems, and the JC3 center. General Mehdiyev agreed that this is a 
serious issue and stated that the AJCG is in the process of hiring 
IT staff and other technically skilled professionals but that they 
are having difficulty filling such positions due to the low pay 
offered by AJCG. General Mehdiyev expressed interest in U.S. 
assistance for a train the trainer program for IT and electronics 
specialists in order to train existing staff rather than hiring 
trained IT specialists. 
 
6 October - EXBS Advisor met with Shahin Bagirov of the State 
Customs Committee (SCC) to discuss future EXBS cooperation with SCC. 
Topics included the current status of equipment purchases, SCC 
interest in radiation portal monitors at the Baku Customs Terminal, 
EXBS Advisor request for a tor of the Baku Customs Terminal, the 
prospect of  Targeting and Risk Management (TRM) course and an 
X-ray analysis course to be held in Azerbaijan, and the recent 
seizure of radioactive material on the Russian border. Mr. Bagirov 
stated that due to lack of funding the SCC targeting center has not 
yet been launched and staff for the center has not been identified 
and therefore a TRM course in Azerbaijan would be premature. He 
further stated that SCC has on staff very well trained and 
experienced X-ray analysis experts and therefore any training 
offered by EXBS on this topic should be very advanced. As for the 
radioactive material seizure at the Russian border Mr. Bagirov had 
not been notified of this event. 
 
9 October - EXBS Advisor attended an out briefing between Commander 
Stroebel and General Mehdiyev at which the findings of the two week 
assessment were presented. The focal points of the assessment were 
as follows; although the AJCG maintenance system needs improvement 
and modernization, AJCG ships are underway and patrolling 24/7; the 
functional areas most in need of modernization are IT, electronics 
maintenance, and JC3 operations. As to additional AJCG staffing 
needs to support IT Stroebel recommended that the AJCG have two IT 
specialists on staff at HQ and one additional specialist available 
 
to roam between HQ and the radar sites. Commander Stroebel suggested 
that a small delegation from the AJCG visit his maintenance and JC3 
facilities in the immediate future to which General Mehdiyev was 
receptive. A diplomatic note inviting appropriate AJCG 
representatives to the Boston Regional USCG facilities was sent to 
the SBS via MFA on 14 October. The tentative dates for this trip are 
6-12 December or 31 January to 6 February 2010. MFA and SBS approval 
is pending. General Mehdiyev expressed interest in sending three 
more junior AJCG officers to long term residency training in the 
U.S. The focus of individual studies would be mechanical, 
electronics, and IT. 
 
9 October - EXBS Advisor and EXBS Program Coordinator met with Mr. 
Nusrat Suleymanov of the Foreign Ministry to discuss proposed EXBS 
activities in Azerbaijan for FY10. Topics included equipment 
purchase for SCC, possible EXBS funded training courses for the 
coming fiscal year, the USCG assessment of the AJCG, Leahy vetting, 
GOAJ response to a March 2009 proposal from NSOI, the status of an 
SBS grant agreement for equipment provided in FY09, and diplomatic 
note procedures and turnaround time. On the subject of Leahy vetting 
Mr. Suleymanov stated that this issue is under internal GOAJ review 
and that a resolution will be reached soon and that until a 
resolution is issued training courses requring Leahy vetting will 
be approved or denied on a case by case basis. On the NSOI proposal 
Mr. Suleymanov stated that an official response might be given at 
the upcoming bilateral security dialogues in Washington. 
 
21 October - EXBS Advisor briefed U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet Commander 
Vice Admiral Clingan on the history and current status of EXBS 
cooperation with the AJ Coast Guard. Admiral Clingan then visited 
General Mehdiyev at the AJCG base. 
 
21 October - EXBS Advisor met with the Deputy Chief of the Institute 
of Radiation Problems Ibrahim Gabalov to discuss Mr. Gabalov's ideas 
relating to IRP participation in future EXBS funded training 
opportunities. Mr. Gabalov's recommendation was to follow the 
Ukrainian model for the training of State Customs Committee cadets 
in dual use commodity identification using IRP as the trainers and 
subject matter experts. 
 
27-28 October - EXBS Advisor and Naval Attache Matt Verich attended 
a working group of coast guard officers from states with which 
Azerbaijan has favorable and active engagement. The focus of the 
discussion was on security of oil and gas fields and methods of data 
analysis for maritime domain awareness. State Border Guard 
leadership invited U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen but he was 
unable to attend and no other U.S. Coast Guard representatives 
attended. Country Team recommends future participation by USCG or 
similar agency in future events as it offers an excellent 
opportunity to engage with AJCG in areas of mutual concern. 
 
29 October - EXBS Advisor chaired a meeting of the Baku Peace and 
Security Working Group to discuss details of the upcoming Bilateral 
Security Dialogues to take place from 4 to 5 November in Washington. 
The purpose of the meeting was to inform the working group of 
talking points for the dialogues and to update the U.S. delegates on 
any significant information from the field. 
 
30 October - The EXBS Advisor met with program manager for 
NADR/Humanitarian Demining Program Deborah Netland and DTRA expert 
on SALW and MANPADS Mark Adams to discuss prospects for further 
cooperation with GOAJ on physical protection improvements or 
destruction of SALW and conventional munitions. 
 
 
¶B. TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
NONE 
 
¶C. ITEMS DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
Description              US $ Value 
 
¶D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE: 
 
TRAINING: 
 
NONE 
 
EQUIPMENT - Procurement in process: 
 
Description                   US $ Value 
Hand-held Trace Detectors/Analyzers           Out for bid 
Baggage X-ray System 
Radioisotope Identifiers 
X-ray Florescence Metal Analyzers 
Portal Type Metal Detectors 
Density Meter Kits 
Fiberscope Kits 
 
 
¶E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, NONPROLIFERATION, OR 
RELATED BORDER SECURITY: 
 
NONE 
 
 
POC for this report is David Hall, EXBS Advisor. 
 
LU