Cablegate: Exbs: Russia Advisor Monthly Reporting Cable - November

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #2937/01 3371313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031313Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5584
RUEAORC/USCBP WASHDC
RHEBAAA/USDOE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RECNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS MOSCOW 002937

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/ECC JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, ROWEN, NJOHANSON, LSPRINGER
CBP FOR INA, PLEASE PASS TO TCORWIN
USDOE WASHDC ALSO FOR NNSA, PLEASE PASS TO TPERRY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP UP RS
SUBJECT: EXBS: RUSSIA ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - NOVEMBER
2009

1. Begin summary: BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY
MANAGERS: By mutual agreement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP)and the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. will postpone until
at least March 2010 an International Visitors Program (IVP)requested
by a new Russian federal agency, Rosgranitsa, to US ports of entry.
Schedule conflicts and the holiday season were the reasons for the
postponement. Rosgranitsa is charged with ensuring security of
facilities and IT infrastructure at ports of entry. EXBS is working
with CBP and the Russian Embassy to develop this visit. Planning
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proceeds on the reinstituted
Program Review and additional Export Licensing Exchange scheduled
for the first week of February in Washington. EXBS provided
thoughtful input to the QDDR process and also the Performance Plan
and Report for 2009, coordinated at Post by USAID. EXBS is
gathering data on training conducted through the program for the
past 5 years at the request of UGA/CITS, which is doing an
assessment of the Russian export controls system. Assistant
participated in EXBS LES Conference November 17-19 in Germany. End
summary.

2. Completed Actions for Reporting Period.

A. Site Assessments and Meetings During the Reporting Period.

i. November 9 - EXBS Assistant met with Rosgranitsa development
department to discuss general areas for possible cooperation beyond
IVP in spring 2010 (due to last-minute, unexpected tightening of the
rules regarding prior notification of foreigner visits, the Advisor
could not attend this meeting, which was scheduled just before key
Rosgranitsa officials left for an extended business trip). The
meeting was cordial, with Rosgranitsa expressing interest in further
technical cooperation, but offering no specific areas of interest.
Both sides agreed to reconnect in early 2010.

ii. November 12 - EXBS Advisor participated in USAID-coordinated
Assistance Working Group meeting chaired by the DCM. EXBS was among
several funders that provided input to a draft cable that attempts
to lay out the strategic direction of foreign assistance programs in
Russia, suggests new and innovative tactics, and identifies funding
gaps. The cable is aligned with the approach of EXBS Russia over
the past year, which envisions Russia as an important strategic
partner in the nonproliferation effort, as opposed to an aid
recipient.

iii. November 30 - At Ambassador Beyrle's request, EXBS wrote a
memorandum reporting on the US Government's review of the Export
Administration Act (EAA). Special thanks are extended to the
Foreign Commercial Service and also the Economic Section for their
thoughtful inputs.

B. Training Conducted During Reporting Period.

i. No EXBS-funded training was conducted during this reporting
period.

C. Equipment Delivered During Reporting Period.

i. The EXBS Russia program does not distribute equipment.

3. Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update

i. EXBS continues to work with CBP and Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE)on an IVP requested by the Central Region (Moscow)
Customs Administration scheduled for December 12-20. The delegation
will visit ports of entry in Southern California, including Los
Angeles (Long Beach) and San Diego to observe procedures and
technologies for processing passenger and cargo traffic. Then they
will travel to Washington for introductory meetings with officials
of CBP and ICE, as well as visit Dulles Airport's cargo processing
center.

4. Significant Developments in Export Controls, Nonproliferation,
or Related Border Security

i. On November 27, Russia signed an agreement to form a customs
union with Kazakhstan and Belarus. The union will take effect on
January 1, with the three countries using the same foreign trade
tariffs and rules with one another, though it will likely take
another six months for all tariffs to be synchronized. The leaders

of the three countries hailed the accord as a major step forward,
while some analysts expressing skepticism about the pact's ability
to significantly boost trade along the already-transparent borders.

5. Country Plans and Other Assistance

i. Received approval from ISN/ECC for FY08, FY09, and FY10 Program
Plan. Plan has been reviewed and approved by USG agencies. EXBS
will submit an abstract of the programs in advance of its meeting
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 8. As the lead
agency, MFA has previously given broad approval to our program
ideas. In addition to receiving final stakeholder approval for the
Program Plan, the purpose of this meeting will be to continue to
move forward arrangements for the reinstituted Program Review and
additional Export Licensing Exchange scheduled for the first week of
February in Washington.

6. CONTACT INFORMATION. Joan Agerholm is the EXBS Advisor for
Russia and can be reached at AgerholmJA@state.gov, or +7 (985)
410-30-87. Konstantin Troyan is the EXBS Assistant for Russia and
can be reached at troyanka@state.gov, or +7 (985) 923-05-18.

BEYRLE

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