Export control system and Dual-Use Expertise in the Republic of Azerbaijan Deputy Director of the Institute of Radiation Problems of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Dr. Ibrahim Gabulov
Azerbaijan is developing, transit country located in South Caucasus. Azerbaijan looks like bridge connected East and West. Azerbaijan area is 86.600 square km. The population is about 9.0 million. Azerbaijan has land borders with Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Russia and Turkey. At the same time we have sea borders with Russia, Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan. 2
Brief description of Azerbaijan legislation in the field of export control. Azerbaijan signed and ratified almost all international agreements on nonproliferation of WMD. Azerbaijan is a member state of IAEA since 2001. The main act in the area of export control is Export control law, Presidential decree 167 on the implementation of Export Control law of 29 December 2004 as well as a number of statutory-legal acts. The decision 230 of the Cabinet of Ministers of December 15, 2005 adopted the rules for issue special permission for activities under export control. Export control list was adopted by the decision 42 of the Cabinet of Ministers of February 06, 2006. This control list is unified control list of EU. 4
The main government body responsible for export control is the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Following executive authorities implement export control in compliance with commodity classification: 1. Ministry of Emergency Situations; 2. Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources; 3. Ministry of Industry and Energy; 4. Ministry of Health; 5. Ministry of National Security; 6. Ministry of Internal Affairs; 7. State Border Service; 8. State Customs Committee; 9. Ministry of Agriculture; 10. National Academy of Sciences; 11. Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies; 12. Special State Guard Service; 13. Ministry of Defense; 14. Ministry of Transportation; 15. Ministry of Defense Industry; 16. Republican Agency on Authors Rights 17. State Administration of Civil Aviation 18. State Sea Organization 5
Thus, the total number of the institutions involving in the export control implementation equal to 19, including the Cabinet of Ministers. Export control system of the country is at the initial stage and therefore, it is very important to develop bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the states having experience in the implementation of export control in order to establish working export control system on the basis of international experience and expertise. In such a way the assistance of STCU will be very fruitful and useful. It is necessary to note that Azerbaijan joined to STCU in 2003 by the Presidential decree. After that the office of STCU was established on the basis of National Academy of Sciences. 400 projects were submitted to STCU and 76 project were adopted. 25 of these projects were international. Total funding is about 6 mln USD. More than 500 scientists took part at these projects. 6
In our opinion it will be better to organize within GUAM countries regional identification center dealing with dual-use commodities, which could be used for WMD. Such center could be organized on the basis of appropriate Ukraine scientific institution, because Ukrainian scientists have sufficient experience and expertise in this field. This center could be used also as regional training center. STCU assistance is highly appreciated. STCU could also take the lead in this process and probably initiate regional project for starting the discussion of this idea or another ideas. After hopefully establishing such kind center it will be useful to establish the similar centers in all GUAM countries taking into account lessons learned and best practices. Each of GUAM countries will of course decide what kind center, when and other related things taking into account national interests. 7
Taking into account a fact that presently 19 State institutions are involved in export control in Azerbaijan it is proposed to establish independent identification center. The creation of independent center will allow to avoid the interdepartmental misunderstanding. Main knowledge and expertise on WMD and dual-use field has concentrated at the Institutions of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. It is proposed to create such kind identification center on the basis of the Institute of Radiation Problems of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. The Center could use the facilities of the Institute. Institute of Radiation Problems is only scientific institution in Azerbaijan, which involve in export control issues starting 2003. It is suggested to supply necessary remaining equipment for the Institute and provide access to the databases related to export control. 8
Since 2003 a lot of training and workshops on export control issues were conducted by the specialists of the Institute of Radiation Problems. Firstly the trainings were done together with the expert from Argonne National Laboratory of DoE. Initial training activity was devoted to nuclear field. The main idea of these workshops was involving local experts to the activities. Starting 2006 we expanded our activity to the dual-use goods, which could be used for WMD. The experts from different institutes of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences took part as the lectures in training activity. 9
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