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id: 42349
date: 10/10/2005 10:06
refid: 05DUSHANBE1650
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L  DUSHANBE
001650
 
SIPDIS
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/10/2015
TAGS: MCAP, TI, FR, UZ
SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0007 06/ UZBEKS DENY FRENCH MILITARY
OVERFLIGHT INDEFINITELY (C)
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Jonathan Edwards, DATT, USDAO Dushanbe, DIA.
REASON: 1.4 (a), (b)
 
CONFIDENTIAL
 
SIPDIS
 
SERIAL:  (U) IIR 6 947 0007 06.
 
COUNTRIES:  (U) TAJIKISTAN (TI),
FRANCE (FR), UZBEKISTAN (UZ)
 
IPSP:  (U) IFC1531, IFC1549,
IFC1540, IFC1500, IFC2613, IFC1513,
IFC1512, IFC1517
 
SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0007 06/ UZBEKS DENY FRENCH MILITARY
OVERFLIGHT INDEFINITELY (C)
 
WARNING:  (U) THIS IS AN
INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY
EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.  REPORT
CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO
FOREIGN
 
——————————————— ———
                DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE
——————————————— ———
 
DOI:  (U) 20051010
 
REQS: (U) DHCD111052, DHCD111054, DHCD111051, DHCD111049,
UTCX206000504
 
SOURCE:  (C) //MEMBER USDAO
DUSHANBE//MEMBER HAS A WORKING
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE.  CONTEXT
STATEMENT-MEETINGS WITH THE FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE ARE
NORMALLY CANDID AND OPEN.
 
SUMMARY:  (C) ON 8 OCTOBER 2005
UZBEKISTAN CANCELLED ALL
OVERFLIGHT CLEARANCES FOR FRENCH MILITARY AIRCRACT INDEFINITELY.
 FRENCH-UZBEK MILITARY RELATIONS
HAVE NEARLY CEASED.
 
TEXT: 1.  (C) ON 10 OCTOBER 2005
DURING A ROUTINE MEETING, THE
FRENCH MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE TO TAJIKISTAN TOLD RO THAT ON THE
MORNING OF 8 OCTOBER 2005, THE UZBEKS DENIED OVERFLIGHT OF THE
FRENCH MILITARY AIRBUS 300 DEPARTING FROM DUSHANBE TO FRANCE.
THE AIRBUS 300 FLIES IN AND OUT OF DUSHANBE APPROXIMATELY ONCE A
MONTH IN SUPPORT OF FRENCH PERSONNEL ROTATIONS IN DUSHANBE AND
AFGHANISTAN.  THE FRENCH WERE THEN
TOLD THAT ALL CLEARANCES FOR
FRENCH MILITARY FLIGHTS ACROSS UZBEK AIRSPACE ARE INDEFINITELY
DENIED.  THE FRENCH HAVE NOW
REROUTED ALL FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF
DUSHANBE OVER KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN AND RUSSIA.  THE FRENCH
MILREP TOLD RO THAT THE MOVE WAS LIKELY A RECIPROCAL ACTION
FOLLOWING THE 7 OCTOBER EUROPEAN UNION’S SANCTION AGAINST
UZBEKISTAN.
 
2.  (C) THE FRENCH MILREP ALSO
NOTED THAT FRENCH-UZBEK MILITARY
TO MILITARY RELATIONS ARE NEARLY NON-EXISTENT.  HE EXPRESSED
SURPRISE AT THE UZBEK ACTION.  HE
ALSO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT
THAT THE RUSSIANS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT KARIMOV, WHICH HE VIEWED
ONLY FURTHER EMBOLDENS KARIMOV.
 
COMMENTS: 1. (C) FIELD COMMENT: 
UZBEK ACTION LIKELY COMES AS A
SURPRISE TO FRENCH MILITARY OPERATING OUT OF DUSHANBE IN SUPPORT
OF ISAF.  THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN
VERY CAUTIOUS TO NOTE THAT THEIR
MILITARY PRESENCE IN DUSHANBE IS NOT PERMANENT AND ONLY IN
SUPPORT OF ISAF AND ITS MISSION TO PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY
IN AFGHANISTAN.  FRENCH-TAJIK
MILITARY RELATIONS CONTINUE TO
GROW AND IT IS UNLIKELY THE FRENCH WILL FIND ANY DIFFICULTIES
HERE IN DUSHANBE.
 
2.  (U) SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR
FURTHER CONTACT.
 
 
3.  (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS
CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DIA/DHO-2 AT
STU III (202) 231-7299, OR DSN 428-7299.
 
COLL: (U) AB.
INSTR:  (U) U.S.  NO.
PREP:  (U) 6-04708.
ENCL: (U) NONE.
ACQ:  (U)  MURGHAB, TAJIKISTAN (20051010)
DISSEM:  (U)  FIELD: 
EMBASSY AT DUSHANBE.
WARNING:  (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
DRVD FM: DHS HUMINT SCG OCT 04
DECL ON:  20151004
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 42797
date: 10/17/2005 9:30
refid: 05DUSHANBE1678
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
05DUSHANBE1503|05DUSHANBE1583|05DUSHANBE1675|05DUSHANBE27|05DUSHANBE4
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
UNCLAS  DUSHANBE 001678
 
SIPDIS
 
 
DEPT FOR NP/ECC — PVANSON, ACHURCH, AND ACUMMINGS
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/ACE — DMARTIN
CBP/INA FOR PWARKER AND BPICKETT
USDOE/NNSA FOR TPERRY
DOC FOR PETERSEN — BEARD
 
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC, KNNP, KSTC, MNUC, PARM, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN EXBS PROGRAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE
 
I.  BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO
ADVISORS AND AGENCY MANAGERS
 
A list of EXBS program equipment was sent via email to DHS/CBP
and NP/ECC.  In addition, all
DHS/CBP related handbooks and
written materials have been sent to DHS/CBP per cable request.
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD.
 
A.  SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS
DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD.
 
        1.  EXBS advisor conducted an 11 day
assessment/end use
monitor trip through the Gorno — Badakhshan and Sogd regions of
Tajikistan which included the Afghan, Chinese, Kyrgyz, and Uzbek
borders.  Please see Dushanbe 1503
for summary.
 
        2.  The European Commission Border Management and
Drug
Action Programs in Central Asia (BOMCA-CADAP) held its semi
annual donors conference in Dushanbe 27-28 September 2005.  Mr.
James Bigus from INL and Mrs. Anne Cummings from NP attended the
conference.  Please see Dushanbe
1675.
 
        3.  The German Embassy hosted a Building Bridges
conference on 29 September 2005 which was aimed at cross border
cooperation between the Tajik and Afghan Governments.  Mr. Bigus
also attended this conference. 
Please see Dushanbe 1583.
 
        4.  Dr. Harlan Strauss, OSD Policy, visited
Dushanbe from
17 -21 September 2005, and met with seven ministries to gain
support for the signing of a Weapons of Mass Destruction
Agreement between the Tajik and U.S. governments.  His visit was
very successful and the Tajik government is currently working on
the agreement.
 
        5.  Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and
International Security, Robert Joseph visited Dushanbe 4 — 6
October 2005 to discuss cooperation in the Proliferation
Security Initiative (PSI) agreement.
 
        6.  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited
Dushanbe
on 13 October 2005.  She met with
President Rahmonov and his
staff.  Several issues were
discussed.
 
B.  TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING
REPORTING PERIOD.
 
        1.  Two senior representatives from Tajikistan
Customs and
State Border Protection Committee attended TRACKER training (as
observers only) in Almaty Kazakhstan from 3 — 9 October 2005.
Tajikistan is not currently allowed to attend this training as
participants because they have not yet signed the WMD agreement.
 
C.  EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DURING THE
REPORTING PERIOD.
 
        1.  Four CT-30 Kits were delivered to Dushanbe
from SAIC
completing Task Order 41.  Kits
will be transferred to Tajik
Customs on 19 October 2005.
 
D.  IMMINENT TRAINING, MEETINGS,
OR EQUIPMENT STATUS UPDATE.
 
        1.  Tajik officials from the Academy of Sciences,
Department on nuclear materials transit, Agency of Nuclear and
Radiation Security, and the First Deputy Minister of the State
Revenues and Duties (Tajik Customs) will travel to Istanbul to
attend the Central Asia Technical Workshop to Prevent the
Illicit Trafficking of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials from 13
— 16 November 2005.
 
        2.  General Zuhurov, Chairman of the State Border
Protection Committee, and members from the Customs, Interior,
and the Drug Control Agency will travel to Washington DC and El
Paso Texas to attend meetings and visit training facilities.
 
This trip will include active participation in day and night
border operations.  The trip is
scheduled for 18 November — 2
December 2005.
 
        3.  Forty senior lever Tajik delegates will
travel to
Budapest from 12 — 16 December 2005 to attend an International
Counter-Proliferation Seminar conducted by DoD ICP.
 
 
E.  SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN
EXPORT CONTROLS,
NONPROLIFERATION, OR RELATED BORDER SECURITY.
 
        1. None to report this
period.
 
III. RED FLAG ISSUES.
 
        1. None to report this
period.
 
POC for this report is Paul J. Shott, EXBS Advisor, HYPERLINK
«mailto:[email protected]» [email protected], Comm: 992 372
241560 Ext 2102, Cell: 992 935 707009.
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 42920
date: 10/18/2005 11:27
refid: 05DUSHANBE1695
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001695
 
SIPDIS
 
 
SENSITIVE
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, EUR/SE, EB
 
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, TU, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN:  RAHMONOV TO
VISIT TURKEY
 
 
1.  (U) Sensitive but
unclassified.  Please handle accordingly.
Not for public Internet.
 
2.  (SBU) Turkish Ambassador
Cengizer revealed on October 18
that he has completed negotiations for Tajikistan’s President
Rahmonov to make an official visit to Turkey January 19-24,
2006.  Rahmonov will visit Ankara,
Istanbul, and the Anatolian
coast where he wants to develop contacts to increase tourism in
Tajikistan.
 
3.  (SBU) Cengizer remains
optimistic that Turkish Airlines will
begin operating to Dushanbe in time for Rahmonov to be on the
maiden return trip to Turkey.
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 42935
date: 10/18/2005 12:42
refid: 05DUSHANBE1696
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001696
 
SIPDIS
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: A SHOT ACROSS THE NGO BOW? 
POST SEEKS GUIDANCE IN RESPONSE
TO MFA REQUEST
 
The Embassy received the following diplomatic note from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking for extensive information on
non-governmental organizations connected to the U.S government
operating in Tajikistan.  This dip
note could further dampen NGO
activity in Tajikistan and further threaten the U.S. democracy
agenda.
 
Post seeks soonest guidance from the Department how to respond.
 
Begin Text:
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of
America in Dushanbe and in response to note # 832/05 of October
11, 2005 has the honor to inform the following.
As is known, on September 13, 1993 , the Government of the
Republic of Tajikistan and the Government of the United States
of America signed an Agreement Regarding Cooperation to
Facilitate the Provision of Assistance. On the basis of this
Agreement, for ten years, the United States of America has been
providing all possible assistance to the Republic of Tajikistan.
 Also, within the framework of
this Agreement, a number of
American governmental and nongovernmental organizations
implementing the U.S. Government aid programs have been
operating in the Republic of Tajikistan.
In the above mentioned note, the Embassy sent a list of
organizations that according to that Agreement, shall be exempt
from any taxes, duties or other similar payments imposed by the
Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and local authorities.
In this connection, the Ministry requests that the Embassy gives
instructions to the organizations indicated in the note to
submit the required information about their legal status and
full account of their activity in the Republic of Tajikistan to
the Ministry.  The accounts should
include the following:
 
1.      Copies of constituent
documents;
2.      The structure (including
that of the head and field
offices), personnel structure and the number of their staff;
3.      The biodata of the
personnel of these organizations,
including foreign and local;
4.      Exact legal addresses of
these organizations in the
Republic of Tajikistan, including copies of lease agreements of
their office premises;
5.      A detailed description of
their projects indicating the
budget and estimate of costs;
6.      Information about their
partners (NGOs, private citizens,
higher educational institutions, educational establishments,
local communities, etc.) in the Republic of Tajikistan.
7.      Major trends of their
activity and indication of the final
result;
8.      The amount of the given
credit and information about the
interest profit (for the organizations engaged in
micro-financing).
 
The Ministry informs the Embassy that the decision on the
exemption from taxes, duties and other similar payments shall be
adopted after receiving the abovementioned documents and their
detailed study.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan
avails itself of this opportunity to express to the Embassy of
the United States of America the assurances of its highest
consideration.
 
End text
 
COMMENT:  We are worried that this
is the slippery slope that
would allow Tajikistan to weed out the NGOs it does not like.
END COMMENT.
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 43128
date: 10/20/2005 6:15
refid: 05DUSHANBE1700
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001700
 
SIPDIS
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/C/DC
FRANKFURT FOR FRDCD
 
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ADCO, ADPM, AMGT, KRIM
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO INITIATE PROFESSIONAL COURIER OPERATIONS TO
DUSHANBE
 
REF: KLINGER/GILMORE E-MAIL
 
1. Post Dushanbe requests professional diplomatic courier
service vice our current
non-pro service to/from Almaty. 
Post wishes to initiate
professional service in
November, 2005 on a scheduled to be determined between Post and
FRDCD.
 
2. All classified pouch users at post concur with this request.
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 43136
date: 10/20/2005 7:19
refid: 05DUSHANBE1701
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001701
 
SIPDIS
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/20/2015
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: LAWYER’S ARREST COULD SIGNAL GOV’T TIGHTENING SCREWS ON
DISSENT
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard Hoagland, Ambassador, US Embassy
Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
 
1.  (U)  Fayzinoso Vohidova, a well-known lawyer and
an active
member of the Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), was
arrested and charged by the Sughd regional prosecutor’s office
with one criminal act for forgery, and production and sale of
forged documents, which includes practicing law with a false
diploma from Moscow State University. 
Media reports and local
NGO workers speculated she was arrested due to her political
activity.  Vohidova was a
candidate in the February
parliamentary elections until she was disqualified on a
technicality.  She is being
detained while the case is under
investigation. Her husband and lawyer have visited her on
multiple occasions.
 
2.  (C) Vohidova’s lawyer,
Bakhtiyor Narulloev, told Frank
Hespe, a lawyer with the American Bar Association/ Central
European and Eurasia Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI), that Vohidova
believes the prosecution is personally, not politically,
motivated, because she has won a number of high-profile cases
against the local prosecutor’s office. 
Narulloev explained the
prosecutor’s office threatened to contact over 300 of Vohidova’s
clients to search for evidence of impropriety.  She plans to
formally admit guilt in order to avoid such action.  (NOTE:
According to John Hickey, Country Director of ABA/CEELI, it is
possible her diploma is forged; many lawyers practice without
legitimate documents in Tajikistan. END NOTE)
 
3.  (C) However, despite pleading
guilty, Vohidova maintains her
innocence.  She believes the
Moscow prosecutor’s office, which
works closely with the Tajikistan prosecutor’s office, may have
doctored the evidence or pressured Moscow State University Law
School to provide false information. 
She intends to travel to
Moscow upon her release to prove her innocence.  Narulloev
reported Vohidova does not want additional media attention and
is urging supporters not to appeal on her behalf through the
media.  Rather, she would prefer
NGOs and embassies to contact
the government and prosecutor’s office.
 
4.  (U)  BACKGROUND: 
Vohidova has been an active lawyer in the
Sughd region since 1998 and heads the Khojand Legal Advice
Center.  She has written several
articles criticizing the
government, particularly the regional prosecutor’s office.  In
March 2005, she represented two members of the SDPT from the
Resolve District who were arrested and imprisoned on charges of
insulting a judge and resistance to authority.  Vohidova herself
was a leading candidate in the February 2005 parliamentary
elections from the Ghaffurov District. 
However, she was
disqualified from the race based on a technicality, for not
reporting all of her husband’s assets on the registration forms.
 
5.  (U)  In addition, she is a member of the Citizens
Rights
Advocacy Network (CRAN), which is a DRL- funded project of
ABA/CEELI.  Her NGO, Center for
Support of Legal and Economic
Reforms in Tajikistan, received ABA/CEELI funding for an
advocacy campaign to improve the status of non-citizens in the
Ferghana Valley.  In the past two
months, she has advocated on
behalf of those accused in a trafficking-in-persons case.
 
6.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Vohidova’s assertion that her arrest was
personally motivated is plausible. 
However, her case inevitably
sends a message that unauthorized political activism that annoys
the powers that be is unwelcome in Tajikistan. END COMMENT.
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 43145
date: 10/20/2005 9:42
refid: 05DUSHANBE1702
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: SECRET
destination: 05DUSHANBE1681|05DUSHANBE1696
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
S E C R E T  DUSHANBE 001702
 
SIPDIS
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA, DRL, EB
NSC FOR MERKEL
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/20/2015
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, KDEM, RS, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN:  AMBASSADOR
ZARIPOV COUNSELS NO SHARP RESPONSE
TO RUSSIAN PROVOCATIONS
 
REF: A) DUSHANBE 1696  B) FBIS
CEP2005101927067  C) DUSHANBE 1681
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy
Dushanbe.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
 
1.  (S) SUMMARY:  In a meeting with Tajikistan’s Ambassador to
the United States Zaripov (strictly protect throughout),
Ambassador Hoagland and he both agreed that the U.S.-Tajikistan
relationship is generally solid, with few sharp ups and downs.
They discussed primarily the potential of U.S.-Russia
cooperation to develop Tajikistan’s hydropower and on-going
problems for U.S. NGOs.  The
conversation stayed relatively
general, perhaps because Zaripov had a Foreign Ministry minder
with him, until a final pull-aside in Embassy Dushanbe’s garden.
 Zaripov let loose with details
about Moscow’s paranoia about
the United States and its intentions in Tajikistan.  He
counseled patience and «no sharp response to
provocations.»  His
bottom line was that Russia is increasingly playing hardball to
limit U.S. influence in Tajikistan. 
END SUMMARY
 
2.  (SBU) While on home leave and
consultations, Tajik
Ambassador to Washington Homrahon Zaripov called on the
Ambassador on October 19.  Sirozh
Rajabov, the Foreign
Ministry’s Deputy Chief of Administration for Europe and North
America, accompanied him as note-taker.
 
EVERYTHING’S MORE OR LESS FINE~
 
3.  (C) The ambassadors agreed
that in principle the bilateral
relationship is on track and about 90 percent smooth.  Zaripov
noted that President Rahmonov is generally satisfied, especially
because «he does not like sharp ups and downs in
relationships.»
 
4.  (C) Zaripov expressed pleasure
that U.S-Russia (i.e., AES
and RAO UES) cooperation appears possible to develop
Tajikistan’s hydropower potential. 
He recounted how he had been
an early champion of this cooperation, and how he had worked
hard in the United States to promote it, «even though it is
dangerous to be involved in such big business.»  Ambassador
Hoagland noted a successful collaboration between AES and RAO
UES would have political value because it would concretely
 
SIPDIS
demonstrate U.S.-Russia cooperation for economic development in
Central Asia.
 
5.  (C) The Ambassador briefed
Zaripov in detail about the
October 13 visit of Secretary of State Rice.  Zaripov had little
to say, but did express surprise about the Secretary’s visit to
the Central Mosque and Girls’ Madrassa. 
He confirmed it had not
been reported on Tajik State TV and said no one had mentioned it
to him.
 
6.  (C) The Ambassador handed
Zaripov a copy of the Tajik
Government’s recent diplomatic note requesting what, in our
view, seems to be excessive information about all U.S. NGOs
working in Tajikistan (ref A). 
Zaripov read it carefully,
glanced at Rajabov, and noted it was the first he had heard of
such a request and, thus, was unprepared to comment on it.  He
added that both sides should be patient and avoid «sharp
decisions.»  The United
States should understand that Tajikistan
as an independent state is only 14 years old.  «All of these
kinds of questions are solvable with patience,» he said.
 
7.  (C) In response to a question,
Zaripov recounted President
Rahmonov’s September meeting in New York during UNGA with George
 
 
Soros.  Zaripov said that the
meeting was positive in general
but had its sharp moments.  He
recounted that Soros had asked
Rahmonov if he has suspicions about the Open Society Institute
in Tajikistan.  Rahmonov had
responded firmly that he was highly
suspicious and watched it closely. 
So far, he had found no
fault, but was prepared to shut down Soros immediately if any
«irregularity» came to his attention.
 
8.  (C) About life in Washington,
Zaripov said he found it easy
to work with the State Department and the National Security
Council.  He praised EUR DAS
Byrza’s energy, intense
involvement, and knowledge of the region.  By contrast, Zaripov
noted that it is still difficult for him to make much progress
on Capitol Hill where he continues to run into pre-conceived
notions about Tajikistan. 
Ambassador Hoagland commented that
Embassy Dushanbe has worked hard to change Washington
stereotypes about Tajikistan, but Capitol Hill seldom sees
diplomatic reporting and relies more generally on media accounts
and information from groups with special interests.  Both
Ambassadors agreed that it would be useful for CoDels and
StaffDels to visit Tajikistan so that they could gain
first-hand, accurate information.
 
~EXCEPT RUSSIA IS AN EVER BIGGER PROBLEM
 
9.  (S) At the end of the meeting,
the Ambassador and Zaripov
had a one-on-one pull-aside in the Embassy garden apart from
Rajabov.  The Ambassador repeated
that the latest Tajik
diplomatic note requesting excessive information about U.S. NGOs
in Tajikistan is ominous and disturbing. 
He is seeking guidance
from Washington before responding. 
He asked for Zaripov’s
candid assessment.  Zaripov
counseled go-slow caution.  He
volunteered that President Rahmonov is subject to a drumbeat of
anti-U.S. attacks from the Ministry of Security prodded by
Moscow — not only from Russian mass media (ref B), but also from
the Russian-dominated Tajik Ministry of Security.  Zaripov said
the message from Moscow, especially via the Ministry of
Security, is that the United States wants to overthrow Rahmonov,
kick the Russians out of their military base, and expand U.S.
influence from Afghanistan into Tajikistan as a link to
«U.S.-dominated Kyrgyzstan.» 
The U.S. goal in this scenario is
«a string of anti-Russia military bases from Baghram to
Manas.»
 
10.  (S) Zaripov continued the
anti-U.S.-NGO drive — especially
against National Democratic Institute, Freedom House, and
InterNews — comes directly from Moscow. 
Rahmonov is trying to
maintain an uneasy balance by not registering these three NGOs,
but also by allowing them to continue to operate.  Zaripov
concluded that he sincerely hoped the timing of the new
diplomatic note about U.S. NGOs — which he in fact did know
about but did not want to discuss in front of Rajabov — was
simply coincidental to Rahmonov’s October 7-9 meetings in Moscow
and St. Petersburg with Putin.
 
11.  (S) Zaripov elaborated on his
earlier comment about the
danger of being involved in «big business.»  He confirmed the
AES report (ref C) that then-Tajik PermRep to the UN Rashid
Alimov had tried strenuously to prevent the meeting in New York
between Rahmonov and the AES CEO, arguing to Rahmonov that the
U.S. Government is maneuvering AES to wreck Russian-Tajik
hydropower cooperation and push Russia out of Tajikistan.
Zaripov recounted that he had taken Rahmonov aside and had «a
shouting match with him.»  He
said, «I was willing to be fired,
or even go to prison.»  But
he convinced Rahmonov to hear out
AES, and Rahmonov has now apparently accepted the idea of
AES-RAO UES cooperation.  
(COMMENT:  Although Zaripov’s
version
 
 
may be somewhat self-serving, it rings true with many other
disparate details we continue to pick up.  Russia is playing
hardball to limit the influence of the United States in
Tajikistan.  END COMMENT.)
 
 
HOAGLAND
 
 
NNNN
 
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
 
 
id: 43264
date: 10/21/2005 9:42
refid: 05DUSHANBE1708
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of
the original cable is not available.
 
 
 
—————— header ends —————-
 
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001708
 
SIPDIS
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA, DRL
 
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KISL, KIRF, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK MINISTRY OF EDUCATION BANS HIJABS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
 
 
1.  Deputy Minister of Education
Farkhod Rakhimov announced on
October 19 that hijabs (Muslim head-coverings) are banned in
schools and institutions of higher education.  Education
officials were instructed to disseminate this message throughout
their schools.  Students who
violate this edict will face
disciplinary consequences, even possible expulsion.  Rakhimov,
who heads the commission that promulgated this edict, reasons,
«The hijab [represents] a form of religious ideology which
contradicts the Law on Education and the Consitution.»
 
2.  Rakhimov told Embassy
Political Assistant that the
Government feels obliged to take preventive measures to curb
students from wearing the hijab throughout Tajikistan in order
to uphold secular education.  He
is convinced that students and
their families are being coerced into wearing the hijab and
offered cases in the Sughd region and Dushanbe as proof.  In
these cases, the students and their parents showed little
evidence of being devoutly Muslim, but chose to wear a hijab.
Therefore, the commission concluded, someone else encouraged
them wear the hijab, perhaps to make a political statement.
 
3.  Opposition figures and
political and religious leaders have
expressed disappointment and legal concerns about the law.
Muhiddin Kabiri, First Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Revival
Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), appealed directly to the Minister of
Education.  Post believes the
majority of the country, up to
this point, has been indifferent to the hijab’s place in
schools.  Domullo Naim, a leading
Islamic Scholar of the region,
fears the law will incite a greater rift between the government
and observant Muslims, laying the groundwork for religious
extremism.
 
4.  COMMENT:   The government seems to believe it can
prevent
the growth of extremism by regulating external symbols — a
dubious proposition.  It remains
to be clarified whether this
new edict apples only to full hijab or also includes
headscarves, which are more a sign of traditional conservatism
than extremism.  In any case, as
unwise as this edict may be, it
is little different from similar controversial regulations in
France and Turkey.  END COMMENT.
 
HOAGLAND