November 10, 2004

EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY INITIATIVE (EXBS) "VAN DONATION"
Speech by Thomas Delare, US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission

Very pleased to be here today - marking the cooperation of Romania and the United States in one of the most important efforts of our time - the effort to provide for our mutual security against the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Such weapons pose a threat to both our countries, indeed, to our entire civilization. Good intelligence, our own alertness and cooperation are all required so that we can protect ourselves against the threats of nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological weapons or devices.

Came here today with my colleague and friend - Greg Gessner - the director of the Export Control and Border Security Initiative at the Embassy. As most of you know, we Americans are a practical people, so we simply call this program that Greg directs --EXBS.

EXBS is actually a US Dept. of State program that is administered by experienced officers from our own US Customs and Border Protection force.

It provides equipment and training to Romania's export control authorities, as well as to your border enforcement agencies - the Romanian National Customs Authority. The focus - as I mentioned -- is on weapons of mass destruction.

Our program has been active in Romania for about 5 years. It also operates in the Balkans, Hungary and many states of the former Soviet Union.

Under the program we have provided Romania with many types of detection equipment - some very high tech, and some of it low technology, but designed just to make the ordinary inspections of your customs officials a bit easier and more efficient.

Some example - in 1999 we provided an x-ray van, more recently -- numerous radiation detection pagers and so-called Ludlum handheld radiation detection units. And to discover contraband generally - without tearing vehicles or shipping containers completely apart - we provided your customs inspectors with contraband detection kits.

These kits contain some quite impressive technology. For example, there is something called a "buster "" -- a density meter designed to assist the customs inspector in determining if there is concealed contraband inside sealed spaces.

Similarly, fiber optic scopes permit your inspectors to see through small openings and around corners. And range finders permit your inspectors to quickly measure distances and decide whether the dimensions of a container are quite right - or whether a false bottom or wall might be in use.

Of course, we recognize that the human factor is the most important resource in any agency - and that without training no amount of high tech equipment is going to make much of a difference.

Accordingly, EXBS has provided training to the National Customs Authority both here in Romania and in the United States. These courses have had as their content and focus basic non-proliferation awareness, training on dual use and specialized equipment, and instruction on general border interdiction and enforcement techniques.

Romanian Customs, in partnership with their sister agency, the Romanian Frontier Police, has and is participating in an on-going "border interdiction training" customized from the previously mentioned US border interdiction training.

All of this brings me to the particular reason we are here today.

We are transferring to Romania this X-ray van platform - which we expect will significantly assist the National Custom Authority's border enforcement mission.

This van, something which we call a CX-160V Autovan Mobile X-ray System, is a self-contained, self powered mobile X-ray vehicle designed to provide dependable/reliable service.

Simply stated - this piece of equipment allows the Customs inspector to search for contraband (non-intrusively) in all forms of luggage, sealed boxes/containers, assorted items and commodities being imported (or exported).

This vehicle also has incorporated radiation detection sensors as a standard feature. It also has some special characteristics - something we American call "bells and whistles." Those include an "automatic threat alert" and the "suspicious luggage alert."

The equipment operates with computer software that is capable of isolating something anomalous or suspicious. It then highlights the suspicious area or item being x-rayed on the operator's screen.

Value of the vehicle is approximately $190,000.00 USD. Maintenance and training package bring the value to approx. $250,000 USD.

The National Customs Authority, very appropriately has decided to deploy this piece of equipment on the very sensitive Eastern border. This, in conjunction with the positive and cooperative interaction between the Romanian NCA and its Moldovan and Ukrainian counterparts, will further ensure border integrity in this important region.

On behalf of the United State Government, permit me to wish our Romanian counterparts great success with this equipment. Naturally, it would be better if the world were different - if we did not have to worry about the threat of weapons of mass destruction. But we do. And since that is fact we live with - I'm pleased that we have the full cooperation of Romania - for all our sakes.