US embassy cable - 05ALMATY1522

UNCLAS  ALMATY 001522 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR NP/ECC PVANSON, ACHURCH, JGABRYSZEWSKI 
CBP/INA FOR PWALKER AND CDONOFRIO 
USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE DMARTIN 
DOC FOR PETERSON-BEARD 
AMEMBASSY BERLIN FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE 
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT, BISHKEK, BAKU, DUSHANBE FOR EXBS 
ADVISORS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, MNUC, PARM, PREL, KSTC, KNNP, KZ, EXBS 
SUBJECT:  EXBS: KAZAKHSTAN ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE 
(MARCH 2005) 
 
 
I. BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS: 
 
1.  Andrew Offenbacher, incoming EXBS Advisor to 
Kazakhstan, arrived at Post Almaty on March 10.  Richard 
Morrissey, outgoing EXBS Advisor, departed for the United 
States on March 17.  The new EXBS advisor spent his first 
week at post meeting embassy staff, attending orientations 
and learning about the program from Mr. Morrissey and Ms. 
Gulnara Abildaeva, EXBS Program Manager. 
 
2. The EXBS office drafted five diplomatic notes in March 
for EXBS-sponsored trainings and visits scheduled for 
April. 
 
END SUMMARY. 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
A. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS CONDUCTED 
 
1. No site assessments were conducted this month. 
 
2. On March 9 EXBS Advisor Morrissey attended a meeting 
with Jonathan M. Aloisi, Political Advisor, and Robin L. 
Fontes, Chief of Regional Engagement of the Combined Forces 
Command, Kabul, Afghanistan.  Representatives from Embassy 
Almaty's SAO and INL office also participated in the 
meeting.  The group discussed US bilateral programs focused 
on counterterrorism and border security in the Central 
Asian region.  Mr. Aloisi and Mr. Fontes requested that 
this office keep them apprised of EXBS Kazakhstan's 
activities. 
 
B.  TRAINING DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD 
 
1. March 14-18, 2005 -- Gulnara Abildaeva, EXBS Program 
Manager, attended a regional procurement workshop for 
locally employed staff in Baku, Azerbaijan. 
 
C. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. 
 
1. No equipment was delivered this month. 
 
2. The total value of equipment delivered, including 
pending deliveries is $7,535,960.83. 
 
D. IMMINENT TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE. 
 
1. April 7-8, 2005 - Commonwealth Trading Partners will 
hold a Preparatory Conference for its Product 
Identification Tool (PIT) in Astana.  The event will be 
attended by representatives from the Ministry of Industry 
and Trade and the Customs Control Committee of Kazakhstan. 
The two-day event will initiate the PIT software 
development project. 
 
2. April 11-14, 2005 - Commonwealth Training Partners will 
conduct a Targeting and Risk Management workshop at the 
Dostyk Hotel in Almaty.  The purpose of the workshop is to 
improve the ability of customs officers to identify high- 
risk shipments. 
 
3. April 18-22, 2005 - The University of Georgia's Center 
for International Trade and Security (CITS) will conduct an 
assessment of Kazakhstan's export control system.  Three 
CITS staff members have requested to meet with government 
officials, NGO representatives, and industry contacts in 
Astana and Almaty.  The assessment team also plans to visit 
a border post. 
 
4. April 18-22, 2005 - EXBS Program Manager Gulnara 
Abildaeva will travel to Aktau to hand over $300,000 in 
parts and equipment for the SeaArk boat to the Marine 
 
 
Division of the Kazakhstani Border Guard.  Another goal of 
the trip is to determine mooring points for the three EXBS- 
funded SafeBoats scheduled to be delivered in August. 
While there Ms. Abildaeva will also conduct an inventory of 
equipment purchased by the EXBS program in Aktau and 
Bautino. 
 
E. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPORT CONTROLS, 
NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY. 
 
1. Dastan Eleukenov, former Director of the Center for 
Nonproliferation Studies' Almaty Branch Office has begun 
work in a new position as the Deputy Director of the 
Multilateral Cooperation Department at the Kazakhstani 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  EXBS works closely with this 
department in planning for and implementing training 
programs and equipment procurements. 
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES. 
 
1. None. 
 
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EXBS ADVISOR 
 
Andrew Offenbacher, US Embassy Almaty, telephone: 
+7(3272)504802 (ext. 4945 or 4852), mobile: +7 333 2251156, 
fax: +7(3272)504897, email: OffenbacherAS@state.gov 
 
ASQUINO 
 
 
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