Переведено с использщованием AI
id: 63424
date: 5/10/2006 9:28
refid: 06DUSHANBE861
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO9386
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0861/01 1300928
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 100928Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7463
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1616
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8698
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000861
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, DRL
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/10/2016
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, EAID, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: NDI DEBRIEFS
RAKHIMBEKOV ON HIS DETENTION,
EXPULSION
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy
Dushanbe.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (C) Embassy Dushanbe received
the following memo dated May 5
from National Democratic Institute headquarters in Washington.
Although it arrived via unclassified e-mail, we are sending it
through the classified network because of the sensitivity of the
information.
2. (C) BEGIN TEXT:
NDI’s Country Director in Tajikistan, Nurul Rakhimbekov, was
arrested and detained on the evening of April 26 at the Dushanbe
airport as he was preparing to board a domestic flight for a
political party training. Nurul was detained and interrogated
for three full days, after which he was deported to his native
Kazakhstan.
Nurul was charged with engaging in sexual relations with a
minor. He has asserted that the allegations have no basis in
truth, and it is clear that the arrest was politically
motivated. It fits into a long-standing pattern of efforts by
the government of Tajikistan to shut down NDI’s office.
On Monday, May 1, Nurul Rakhimbekov called to provide details on
the circumstances of his arrest, detention, and release. The
following is a detailed summary of the information he provided.
When Nurul visits Washington, DC during the week of May 14, we
will obtain further details and verify that the below
information is accurate.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26
At 6pm on Wednesday, April 26, Nurul was approached by four men
at the Dushanbe airport as he was preparing to travel on a
domestic flight to Khujand for a political party training. They
stated that they were with the Police Department dealing with
organized crime and insisted that he come with them for
questioning. They would not say where they planned to take him.
When Nurul asked for their IDs, only two of the men would
provide them. The other two men refused to show their IDs. Nurul
immediately called Elizabeth Horst, Political Officer with the
US Embassy in Dushanbe, and she said that she would leave for
the airport. Nurul told the men that he would not go with them
until Elizabeth arrived. However, they would not wait, and
applied force to drag him toward a waiting car. At this time,
one of the men searched his pockets and screamed profanities at
him.
They forced him into a car and took him to the Ministry of
Security building. When they arrived, one of the men told others
that Nurul had threatened to kill him. Once inside the building,
Nurul was told that he was being charged with engaging in sexual
relations with a minor. He was also told he would spend three
days in detention.
After two hours in a waiting room, he was taken to the Head of
Investigation’s office, where there were four people — the Head
of Investigation, two agents, and a consular officer from the
Kazakh Embassy. One of the agents asked him if he agreed to let
the Kazakh consular officer remain in the room. Nurul thought it
was suspicious that the Kazakh consular officer was already at
the Ministry of Security, before he had requested any help from
the Embassy. He has suggested that this could be evidence that
the Kazakh Embassy had advance knowledge of and perhaps
collaborated in his arrest.
Nurul requested the presence of a US Embassy representative,
since he was an employee of a US organization, but the agents
refused his request. They then asked him to sign a protocol of
arrest, which he refused to sign.
Two women were then brought into the room and were asked several
questions. The first woman said she did not have sexual
relations with Nurul and did not see the second woman have
sexual relations with him. The second woman did say she had
sexual relations with Nurul.
(At this point in the conversation, we asked Nurul if this was
true)
According to Nurul, he had a friend from Almaty staying with
DUSHANBE 00000861 002 OF 003
him. Two nights prior to his arrest, he and his friend had held
a small party in Nurul’s apartment. The first woman mentioned
above was Nurul’s friend’s girlfriend and was at the apartment
the night in question. However, Nurul said that he did not know
and had never seen the second woman.
One of the agents mentioned that Nurul’s friend had been
questioned by authorities but had been permitted to leave the
country.
The agents then began asking questions about Nurul’s address and
family in Almaty.
From this point on, the questioning focused on NDI and its
activities in Tajikistan. The agents said they were suspicious
of NDI and had been watching NDI’s activities closely.
At about 10:45 pm, they ended questioning and told him he would
be taken to a pre-trial detention facility. He told the agents
that he would not eat or drink until he was granted access to a
US Embassy representative.
When he arrived at the detention facility, he was searched, and
his shoelaces, belt, passport and personal items were taken from
him. His cell was a small room with only a dirty mat and dirty
pillow in it — conditions Nurul described as «horrible.» He was
not able to sleep the entire night.
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
In the morning, guards brought food to him, but he refused to
eat it. He was then taken to the Ministry of Security building
and into the Head of Investigation’s office. Another high-level
officer was there — someone who focused on international
investigations and who was familiar with a number of
international organizations.
Over the course of approximately seven hours, Nurul was
questioned by six different officers in turns. They only asked
him questions related to his work and the work of NDI in
Tajikistan. He gave them basic information about NDI’s
programming, emphasizing that there was nothing secretive about
NDI’s work. The officers seemed to have fairly detailed
information about NDI’s trainings and events in Dushanbe, and
referred to previous conversations with local NDI staff (which
NDI-DC is aware of).
The officers asked why he was working with Rano (the head of
NDI’s civic partner, Women’s Political Discussion Club) and
Latif (the head of another NDI partner, the Public Commission
for Election Monitoring). The officers said that Rano and Latif
were only interested in getting money and had no interest in
strengthening democracy in Tajikistan.
The officers knew Nurul was bringing money from Almaty every
month and wanted to know how much he was bringing. He gave them
an estimate of between $10,000 to $15,000, which is accurate.
They also asked how much the U.S. was planning to spend on
democracy-related activities this coming year. Of course, he
didn’t have that figure on the top of his head.
The agents said that by working for NDI, Nurul was conducting
illegal activities, because NDI is not registered as an NGO with
the Tajik government. Nurul told them about our many attempts at
registration, but this did not stop their accusations.
They told him that his fate was in his hands — he would be freed
if he would cooperate with them and provide useful information
concerning NDI’s activities. They threatened that, if was
uncooperative, they could put drugs in his pocket and accuse of
him drug possession. They also said that if NDI-Tajikistan’s
former country director, Gegham Sargsyan, were to return to
Tajikistan, they would «give him trouble» as well.
At about 7 pm, the officers took Nurul down to the Head of
Investigation’s office, where there was a woman and what
appeared to be several journalists with cameras. The two women
(girlfriend of Nurul’s friend and the apparent minor) were also
in the room. One officer began an official speech in Tajik,
apparently beginning a press conference. Nurul believes the
officer summarized the charges against him. The two women were
asked questions and provided similar information as they did the
night before. Nurul was then asked questions by the journalists
about his activities with NDI. The officers then said that,
because of Tajikistan’s good relations with Kazakhstan, they
were willing to let Nurul out of jail and would drop all charges
DUSHANBE 00000861 003 OF 003
against him.
Nurul believes the press conference was faked and was an attempt
to pressure him to divulge «useful» information about NDI’s
activities. He later saw the «journalists» walking around on
another floor of the Ministry of Security building, and that
they appeared to be employees of the Ministry of Security.
Nurul was then taken back to his cell in the detention facility.
One of the «journalists» was also put in his cell. The
journalist told Nurul that he had been detained because he was
part of the «free» press. Nurul said it was clear that the
«journalist» was acting and was only there to extract candid
information from Nurul. He was taken out of the cell after a few
hours.
That night Nurul was given a clean sheet and a clean pillow
cover. He refused food and water again.
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
There were no interrogations on Friday. At about lunchtime, a
guard brought him food, but Nurul refused to eat or drink again.
He was feeling noticeably weak as the day progressed. The guards
would not let him use the restroom. In the evening, he was taken
to the facility’s doctor. It was difficult for him to walk in
his weakened state. The doctor checked his heart rate, blood
pressure, temperature, etc. Nurul told the doctor that he would
not allow the doctor to inject him with anything. The doctor
exchanged a smile with the guard, but said that he would not
inject Nurul. Nurul believes this was another attempt to scare
him into «cooperating.»
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
At about 1pm, Nurul was removed from his cell and brought to a
waiting room, where he met with one of the officers who had
arrested him on Wednesday and the Kazakh consular officer. The
consular officer explained that the Kazakh Embassy had conducted
difficult negotiations with the Ministry of Security and had
reached an agreement for his release. If Nurul would agree not
to contact any of his US contacts (presumably NDI and the US
Embassy) while he was still in Tajikistan, the Ministry of
Security would release him and allow him to fly to Almaty,
Kazakhstan. They threatened that if he tried to reach any of his
US contacts, they would restart the investigation and make it
more difficult for him to be released. They threatened that they
could easily change the charge to rape.
The Kazakh consular officer said he would return at 6 pm (72
hours after Nurul’s arrest) to take Nurul to the Kazakh Embassy
for the night, and that Nurul would fly to Almaty the next day.
At about 6pm, Nurul was released from the detention facility.
The Kazakh official never came; instead, four Ministry of
Security officers took Nurul to the Hotel Tajikistan. Two
officers guarded him throughout the night.
SUNDAY, APRIL 30
In the morning, Nurul was taken to the Dushanbe airport. At the
airport, Ministry of Security officers returned his passport and
took him through security and customs. They again asked for his
cooperation in obtaining useful information about NDI. They also
said that this incident wouldn’t have happened if NDI would have
been registered as an NGO. The agents also said that if our
local staff continued working, the agents would «give them
trouble.»
The flight from Dushanbe to Almaty was uneventful, and Nurul
traveled from the airport in Almaty to his family’s home with no
problems.
Since returning to Almaty, Nurul has been recovering and has
been keeping a low profile at his family’s home.
END TEXT.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63437
date: 5/10/2006 10:39
refid: 06DUSHANBE862
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 06STATE72746
header:
VZCZCXRO9482
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0862/01 1301039
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 101039Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7466
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1615
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1622
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1594
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1592
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1547
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1548
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1539
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1419
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1365
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0938
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1619
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1579
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1151
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8701
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000862
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/CEN, SCA/RA, EUR/ACE, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/10/2016
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MARR, KDEM, IN, TI
SUBJECT: SCA A/S BOUCHER, NSC MILLARD MEET FM NAZAROV, DISCUSS SCO,
SOUTH ASIA, UNSC, ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 72746
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy
Dushanbe.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Assistant Secretary
of State for South and
Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher and NSC Senior Director
Elisabeth Millmetwith Tajik Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov May
8. Boucher delivered the reftel
demarche on countering attempts
to use the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push U. S.
and Western coalition forces out
of the region. Nazarov
supported the U.S. position.
Boucher and Nazarov also discussed
Tajikistan’s policy of balancing Pakistan and India. Nazarov
dismissed reports India would send military aircraft to
Tajikistan’s Ayni Airbase.
Nazarov requested Guatemala send a
diplomatic note stating its case to win the U.N. Security
Council seat. Nazarov agreed the
November presidential election
needs to be fair and transparent, but was non-committal on
registering U.S. democracy NGOs National Democratic Institute
and Internews. END SUMMARY.
NAZAROV AGREES WITH U.S. ON SCO’S ROLE
2. (C) The Assistant Secretary
delivered reftel talking points
to Foreign Minister Talkbak Nazarov May 8. Nazarov indicated he
understood the United State’s position on the SCO and agreed
that if a military policy or structure were to emerge from the
SCO, it would not be constructive for the region or broader
international community. Under
the current framework, the SCO
cooperates on matters of extremism, counter-terrorism, and
counter-narcotics. He said thus
far he has been satisfied with
the statements issued from the SCO — except for the 2005
communique suggesting Western military forces establish a
timetable for leaving the region — and views the organization as
a positive instrument for regional cooperation. Mainly,
Tajikistan has been concerned with border disputes with China,
where SCO has proven to be helpful. Tajikistan hopes the SCO
will move toward cooperation on infrastructure development and
economic and cultural issues.
Nazarov understood that the
United States has a critical role to play in the region’s
economic development.
3. (C) Tajikistan supports
Afghanistan’s observer status in
SCO, Nazarov said, and pointed out that if the SCO was veering
off in a direction that would be hostile to the United States,
then India and Pakistan would likely not continue as official
observers. Nazarov said he had
not yet seen a draft communiqui
for the upcoming SCO summit meeting or any other draft
documents, for that matter. He
said he expects the «jubilee
summit» to lack substance.
President Rahmonov will attend the
June 14-15 summit in Shanghai.
4. (C) The Assistant Secretary
requested Nazarov keep the
United States informed on developments leading up to the June
SCO summit, and to exercise Tajikistan’s influence to ensure the
SCO sticks to its original purpose of cooperation in economic
spheres. He re-emphasized hopes
the SCO would not diverge into
activity that would be unhelpful to regional cooperation. The
Assistant Secretary also expressed hope that Afghanistan would
be able to join the SCO and other regional cooperative groups.
TAJIKISTAN BALANCES ITS SOUTH ASIAN POWER RELATIONS
5. (C) Nazarov stated India is
only assisting to rebuild
Tajikistan’s Ayni Airbase, but does not plan a permanent
DUSHANBE 00000862 002 OF 003
presence. Tajikistan had just
sent a diplomatic note to
Pakistan reassuring the Pakistani government media reports India
would send planes to the base are false.
At a recent meeting
with President Musharaf, President Rahmonov welcomed Pakistan’s
support to «rebuild any of Tajikistan’s other dilapidated
airbases.»
6. (C) In efforts not to offend
either country or show
favoritism, Tajikistan balances Pakistan and India scrupulously
and treats both equally. Last
year, President Rahmonov visited
Pakistan and promised he would in turn visit India in August
2006. Tajikistan made sure to
open its consulates and embassies
as well as announce envoys to Pakistan and India on exactly the
same day.
7. (C) Both Pakistan and India
are important economically to
Tajikistan. Both can serve as a
potential market for
Tajikistan’s hydropower in the long term. Nazarov said that
Tajikistan wants to be able to cross through Pakistan into
India, because India is the bigger market opportunity.
8. (C) The Assistant Secretary
sympathized with Tajikistan and
explained that the United States has similar sensitivities when
it comes to balancing Pakistan and India, although we see and
treat each as distinctly separate relationships. He expressed
hope Tajikistan can maintain its good relationship with both
countries, because both can provide development assistance and
be strategic economic partners for Tajikistan.
9. SBU) The Assistant Secretary
delivered the invitation to the
Istanbul regional electricity conference. Nazarov said he would
consider going, if his travel schedule permits.
NAZAROV REQUESTS DIPNOTE FROM GUATEMALA FOR UNSC VOTE
10. (C) The Assistant Secretary
encouraged Tajikistan to vote
for Guatemala as a member of the Security Council, rather than
Venezuela, and express its support for Guatemala prior to the
vote. Nazarov requested that
Guatemala send the government of
Tajikistan a diplomatic note requesting support, either directly
to Dushanbe or via its UN Mission.
DOMESTIC POLITICS
11. (C) The Assistant Secretary
commented to Nazarov that
democracy is a continually evolving process, but the crucial
part is to get the basics right and conduct a free and fair
presidential election in November.
He stressed the importance
of giving all political parties and candidates equal access to
the media, and the need for the government to seriously consider
recommended changes to the presidential election law. Such
improvements would be indicators of democratic progress. The
Assistant Secretary recounted how Nazarbayev won the Kazakh
presidential election with 92%, which most people find
unbelievable. He said that
Rahmonov should not be afraid of
competitors because he is popular enough to win through an
election that meets international standards. Reporting accurate
election results would enhance Tajikistan’s international
reputation, «because it is more honorable to win by real
numbers.»
12. (C) Nazarov noted that both
OSCE and the UN will soon send
election needs assessment teams to Tajikistan. He then
philosophized that Tajikistan’s civil war had the effect of
decreasing political activity because many still equate
political contention with instability.
Nevertheless, he said,
as President Rahmonov has promised, the November election will
DUSHANBE 00000862 003 OF 003
be transparent. He added,
«In the end, if you have only one
candidate, it’s not an election.
Rahmonov shouldn’t be afraid
of competitors. He doesn’t need
an inflated final vote tally.»
13. (C) The Assistant Secretary
told Nazarov he was impressed
nearly 3,000 NGOs are registered in Tajikistan. He requested
the Foreign Minister’s assistance in registering the National
Democratic Institute (NDI) and Internews. He explained that
these two U.S. NGOs work openly and fairly with political
parties across the spectrum to improve the democratic process.
14. (C) Nazarov seemed genuinely
unaware of the internews
re-registration problem. He took
the Assistant Secretary’s
point but remained non-committal.
15. (C) After the meeting, MFA
Director for Europe and the
Americas Ismatullo Nasriddinov confided to Millard NDI and
Internews are on the «black list» as agents fomenting
«color
revolutions.» (NOTE: This is the Kremlin’s position that
dominates Tajikistan’s Ministry of Security. END NOTE.)
He
added IFES works fully successfully in Tajikistan because from
the beginning it took time to forge productive relationships
with the government and, thus, is fully respected.
16. (U) The Assistant Secretary
did not have an opportunity to
clear this cable before departing Dushanbe.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63468
date: 5/10/2006 13:13
refid: 06DUSHANBE864
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination: 06STATE66982
header:
VZCZCXRO9794
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #0864 1301313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101313Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7471
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8706
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000864
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, KIPR, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: 2006 SPECIAL 301 DESIGNATION DELIVERED
REF: STATE 66982
1. Pol/Econ Chief delivered
talking points per reftel on May 4
to Ismatullo Nasredinov, Head of the Department of European and
American Countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
Nasredinov passed the points onto the MFA’s International
Organizations department. On May
8, Nasredinov told PolOff, the
MFA does not have any comments.
Post will report septel if the
MFA provides comments.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63524
date: 5/10/2006 16:07
refid: 06ASTANA42
origin: Embassy Astana
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO0124
RR RUEHAST RUEHDBU
DE RUEHAST #0042/01 1301607
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101607Z MAY 06
FM USOFFICE ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0125
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 0117
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0021
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0031
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0021
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0017
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0017
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ASTANA 0127
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000042
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
SCA/CEN — O’MARA, MUDGE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD, ECON, EAIR, KZ, AF, TI, UZ, KG, TX, ZK
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ASSISTANT SECRETARY BOUCHER MEETS WITH TRANSPORT
MINISTER MAMIN
1. (SBU) Summary: During a May 5
meeting with Assistant
Secretary Boucher and Elisabeth Millard of the NSC, Minister of
SIPDIS
Transport and Communications Mamin discussed the new $26 billion
Transportation Strategy, ambitious plans for Air Astana, and
ideas for infrastructure projects aimed to spur Kazakhstan’s
economic integration in the region.
End summary.
2. (SBU) One month ago, Mamin began, the Kazakhstani government
adopted a new 2006-2015 Transport Strategy. The Strategy
focuses on new transport infrastructure and has a $26 billion
price tag. Of this, 70% is
planned to be realized through
private investment. The port of
Aktau needs to be upgraded,
said Mamin. There is a firm
intention to link the ports of
Aktau and Baku by putting railcars on barges. Another priority
is building a new highway to link central Kazakhstan with the
country’s west. Such a road will
cut the distance by 1,000 km
relative to the existing route.
There are also plans to
establish a second railway link with China. China, Mamin
remarked, is currently shifting to its west both population and
capital. By 2010 there will be
more than 300 million people in
China’s resource-rich northwest region.
3. (SBU) Cooperation with neighboring countries of Central Asia
is an important issue, Mamin noted.
They are all, he remarked,
at different stages of economic development. The Kazakhstani
government is holding consultations with its Central Asian
counterparts. The latest round,
focusing on the transportation
needs of Afghanistan, took place in Kazakhstan on March 29.
Kazakhstan is also exploring various transportation routes
within three multilateral frameworks: TRACECA, the Organization
for Economic Cooperation (OEC), and the Eurasian Economic
Community (EurAsEC). Mamin
remarked that collaboration in the
OEC framework is not particularly effective due to
«discrepancies in the region.»
On some programs, he added,
there is a lack of understanding on the part of Uzbekistan.
(Note: TRACECA, the
Europe-Caucasus-Central Asia Transport
Corridor Program, encompasses 13 countries of Eastern Europe,
the Caucasus, and Central Asia, including Afghanistan, and seeks
the development of transportation links between Europe and Asia.
OEC consists of the five Central
Asian countries plus Iran,
Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan.
EurAsEc is made up of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and
Belarus. End note.)
4. (SBU) Mamin mentioned visit that day to Astana of
Tajikistan’s President Rahmonov.
The discussions, he said,
included establishing the
Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan road
corridor. Kyrgyzstan is in the
process of reconstructing 807 km
of roads, and Tajikistan is also conducting selective repairs.
The road from Tajikistan to Afghanistan is in satisfactory
condition, Mamin noted, but the link between Pakistan and
Afghanistan is worse. Noting that
the total distance from
Almaty to Karachi is 3500 km, Mamin observed that if
Afghanistan, with U.S. help, establishes a viable road link,
Kazakhstan will have good access to Pakistan. The Assistant
Secretary noted the tremendous size of India’s market and the
SIPDIS
possibility of linking Pakistan with India. He also mentioned
the importance for Kazakhstan of establishing transportation
links in multiple directions, both to expand its economic
possibilities and strengthen its economic independence.
5. (SBU) Mamin went on to discuss aviation issues. Kazakhstan
links its hopes of air market development to Air Astana, «a new
company that is quite dynamic,» he said. Kazakhstan wants to
have 35-40 aircraft by 2015. Next
month Mamin plans to hold
discussions with Boeing and Airbus.
Kazakhstan is establishing
three air hubs, he said: Almaty, Astana, and Atyrau («the oil
capital»). There is regional
competition from Tashkent, which
thanks to government policies enjoys new planes and developed
airports. But, Mamin said,
Kazakhstan is now taking over.
International carriers are switching from Tashkent to Almaty as
well as Astana. Kazakhstan is
also actively reconstructing its
ground infrastructure, at the rate of two to three runways per
year, as well as terminals.
Starting next year, there is also a
plan to ban flights on all Soviet-era aircraft and switch to
western planes.
6. (SBU) Mamin said that the Kazakhstani government is not
currently interested in signing Open Skies Agreements.
ASTANA 00000042 002 OF 002
Kazakhstan, he explained, has bilateral relationships and is
focusing on developing its domestic carrier, Air Astana, which
operates under British management.
Still, he added, we impose
essentially no limitations.
Responding to the Assistant
Secretary’s question on the possibility of starting flights to
SIPDIS
Kabul, Mamin replied that for economic reasons Air Astana
currently has no such plans.
There is now a Kabul-Almaty weekly
charter flight operated by Kam Air on a Boeing 737. That
flight, however, has only a 26% occupancy, making the route less
than economically feasible.
7. (U) This message has been cleared by A/S Boucher.
TRACY
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63535
date: 5/10/2006 17:08
refid: 06DUSHANBE865
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO0204
OO RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0865/01 1301708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 101708Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7472
RHEHAAA/NVC NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1618
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1625
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1597
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1595
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1550
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1551
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1542
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1422
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1368
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1622
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1582
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1154
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0941
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8707
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 000865
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, R, SCA/FO, SCA, CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, DRL
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, KPAO, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: SCA A/S
BOUCHER, NSC MILLARD MEET WITH
POLITICOS AND CIVIL SOCIETY, CONDUCT FREE-WHEELING STUDENT ROUNDTABLE
DUSHANBE 00000865 001.2 OF 003
1. (U) Sensitive but
unclassified. Please handle accordingly.
Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Assistant Secretary for South and Central
Asian Affairs Richard Boucher and National Security Council
Senior Director Elisabeth Millard met May 8 with Tajikistan’s
political party leaders, independent media representatives, and
other civil-society players during an IFES-hosted meeting. The
participants, exhibiting increased political maturity, noted
their desire for increased — and equal — media access in the
run-up to the November presidential election, U.S. support to
amend the presidential election law, and greater participation
for women at high levels of political life in Tajikistan. The
Assistant Secretary and Senior Director also met with university
students at the Dushanbe American Corner for a free-wheeling
roundtable that covered topics including Iran and Iraq, the U.S.
role in Central Asia, globalization, and education exchanges.
END SUMMARY.
POLITICIANS AND CIVIL SOCIETY
3. (U) Assistant Secretary
Boucher and NSC Senior Director
Millard met with the leaders of all legally registered political
parties, independent mass media organizations, political
scientists, and civil society organizations on May 8 prior to
their meeting with President Rahmonov.
The participants
expressed their gratitude for the high-level visit and for
meeting with them before the meeting with the president.
4. (SBU) The November
presidential election focused the
discussion. Deputy Chairman
Davlatov of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party attempted a long statement during the
introductions, and then sat in a bit of a snit when his set
piece was politely cut short.
Democratic Party Deputy Chairman
Valiyev called for elections to meet international standards,
changes to the election law, and for all parties to have greater
access to the media. Social
Democratic Party Chairman Zoyirev
(former presidential legal adviser turned opposition figure),
noted he had crafted amendments to the current Law on
Presidential Elections that he said was supported by his party,
the unregistered faction of the Socialist Party, and the
Democratic Party. He announced he
intends to submit the law to
parliament in time for the November election. (COMMENT:
Unlikely. END COMMENT.) He called for the United States to
support his proposed amendments.
5, (U) The «opposition»
political parties asked the Assistant
Secretary to raise the need for election law reforms in his
SIPDIS
meetings with the president and other government officials.
6. (SBU) Participants requested
the Assistant Secretary urge
President Rahmonov to allow political parties and election
candidates more access to television and radio, either through
state or independent media.
According to Tajik law, in the
60-day official campaign period before an election, candidates
are permitted 15 minutes of airtime.
Although political parties
in theory have the right to access state television, this free
access has never been granted since independence, they alleged.
Further, no national independent television station yet exists.
7. (SBU) The headline news of the
session was Islamic
Renaissance Party Deputy Chairman and Member of Parliament
Kabiri announcing his party council had just decided that it
would nominate a candidate for president. (COMMENT:
Based on
previous conversations with him, we expect this candidate will
not be Kabiri himself, but, rather, a symbolic «sacrificial
DUSHANBE 00000865 002.2 OF 003
lamb.» But we’ll see. END COMMENT.)
8. (SBU) The representative of
the break-away faction of the
Socialist Party intoned that his party would never, never
support the other «democratic parties» in their attempt to
reform the presidential election law.
9. (SBU) COMMENT: Many believe the government engineered the
split in the Socialist Party. In
any case, the Socialist Party
— whether the pro-government or opposition wing — is a political
non-entity. In fact, in reliable
but unpublished public opinion
polls, not one so-called democratic party registers more than
1.5 percent support in the electorate.
END COMMENT.
10. (U) Rano Akhumova of the NGO
Women Voters noted that
although there have been great legal strides made to ensure
women equal rights, more women need to have access to higher
power structures, and more women should become leaders within
political parties. No political
parties have female leaders,
although women do serve in deputy positions. She readily agreed
with Boucher’s assessment that empowerment of women improves
basic social conditions of a country and promotes its
development.
11. (SBU) National Democratic
Institute Program Manager Parvis
Kamolidinov pointed out that NDI’s registration problems limit
its ability to work to improve political party capacity across
the board. (COMMENT: Given NDI’s current
Tajik-government-generated crisis, Kamolidinov’s presence at
this meeting — and his speaking out — was enormously brave. END
COMMENT.)
12. (SBU) Chairman of the
Association of Political Scientists
Mamadaminov pointed out that civil society is growing well in
urban areas, but Tajik NGOs outside the major cities face more
registration problems, because remote authorities act like
«local kings.»
Mamadaminov called on the United States to
strengthen its efforts to develop Tajik civil society and NGOs.
13. (SBU) The participants
generally concurred that the
upcoming presidential election would not be completely free and
fair. Some noted that the
Ambassador had frequently reminded
them «Rome wasn’t built in a day,» and they said they fully
understood building democracy is a gradual and evolutional
process. That said, they hoped
the United States would continue
to help move that process along faster.
STUDENT ROUNDTABLE AT THE DUSHANBE AMERICAN CORNER
14. (U) The Assistant Secretary,
the NSC Senior Director, and
Ambassador met with twenty English-speaking students at the
American Corner in the Library of the National Academy of
Sciences. The Assistant
Secretary’s opening statement
emphasized the importance of Tajikistan in the region and the
U.S. desire for a positive and productive relationship. In the
following hour, the students asked the Assistant Secretary
questions about U.S. policy in Iraq and Iran, U.S. intentions in
Central Asia, globalization, and whether the U.S. promoting
global democracy today isn’t akin to the USSR having promoted
global communism in the past — a Russian talking point.
15. (U) The students emphasized
their keen interest for more
possibilities and U.S. support to study in the United States.
Assistant Secretary Boucher confided that President Rahmonov had
raised the same issue in their meeting, and said he would do
what he could to promote this worthy goal.
DUSHANBE 00000865 003.2 OF 003
16. (U) Although not shy to speak
their minds, the students
were not overly confrontational, and evidence real pleasure in
the meeting. On Iran, especially,
they raised the issues as
they understood them, but even the most outspoken young man
respectfully listened to Boucher’s detailed replies.
17. (U) NOTE: Embassy Dushanbe has sent a nearly full text
of
this roundtable to SCA/PPD. END
NOTE.
18. (SBU) COMMENT: At the political and civil-society meeting
at IFES, we were struck by the newly sophisticated understanding
(relatively speaking) expressed about democracy as a process.
This represents a real step forward from several years ago when
such folks expected the United States to carry their water for
them and regularly demanded black and white solutions: «Stop
working with the government and support us!» Likewise, we were
delighted by the university students, both for their
understanding of world events, despite the Russian domination of
their information space, and by the relative sophistication of
their views. We are deeply
grateful Assistant Secretary Boucher
and Senior Director Millard were willing to devote such a
significant proportion of their relatively short visit in
Dushanbe to public diplomacy events.
These activities have a
ripple effect and will make a difference. END COMMENT.
19. (U) The Assistant Secretary
did not have an opportunity to
clear this cable before departing Dushanbe.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63659
date: 5/11/2006 11:47
refid: 06DUSHANBE867
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO1134
PP RUEHDBU RUEHGH
DE RUEHDBU #0867 1311147
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 111147Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7475
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 1621
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1628
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1600
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1598
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1553
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1554
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1545
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1425
RUEHC/USDEL PARTO 0001
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1371
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0944
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI PRIORITY 0011
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1585
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1625
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1157
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8712
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 000867
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, R, SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/RUS, DRL, S/P
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/11/2016
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, PROP, KDEM, RS, TI
SUBJECT: WILL SCO SUMMIT RAISE WESTERN NGOS?
CLASSIFIED BY: Richard E. Hoagland, Ambassador, EXEC, Embassy
Dushanbe.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (SBU) Russian Ambassador
Ramazan Abdulatipov has gone public
denouncing Western NGOs in Tajikistan.
«Biznis i Politika»
(April 20) published the long texty of a speech he delivered
earlier at a Dushanbe roundtable for Russian-speaking Tajik
intelligentsia, «The Role of NGOs in the Development of
Humanitarian Cooperation in the Post-Soviet Space.»
2. (U) Embedded in the text that
generally extols the «natural
spiritual, intellectual, and cultural affinities of Russians and
Tajiks» are a number of blunt swipes at Western NGOs.
— It’s «very bad» that Western countries have sent a large
number of NGO, far removed by distance and spirit
[spirituality], to the post-Soviet space.
— Western governments send hundreds of NGOs and direct their
work, often in non-transparent ways that serve their own ends.
— Western governments «raised a hue and cry» when the Russian
State Duma enacted a law to ensure that NGOs do not work against
the interests of the state.
Tajikistan could learn from this
example.
— Tajikistan is intrinsically linked with Russia in all
spheres, especially their spiritual affinities. Both need to
ensure that Western NGOs do not impose their foreign social and
cultural values on such ancient and deeply-rooted spiritual
civilizations.
3. (C) COMMENT: Abdulatipov’s speech is a toned-down version
of the standard Russian line that U.S. NGOs are
intelligence-agency tools whose job is to prepare populations to
rise up to overthrow existing governments with «color
revolutions.» The new
emphasis on foreign NGOs imposing alien
social and cultural values echoes the Russian Orthodox Church’s
recent pronouncements on democracy, as well as Tashkent’s screed
that democracy means same-sex marriages.
However, with regular
reports of skinheads and other criminal xenophobes abusing and
killing Tajiks and other foreigners in Russia, people in
Tajikistan are likely to take Abdulatipov’s high-minded claptrap
about the shared cultural and spiritual values of the Russian
and Tajik peoples with a grain of salt.
4. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED. Since the Kremlin began its
full-court press in 2004 to reassert its authority in «its
post-Soviet space,» Moscow has placed special emphasis on
Tajikistan because it fears losing its military base and vital
SIGINT installation. Having
tested the waters against the
Western military presence in Central Asia in the 2005 Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SC) Summit communique, the SCO, not
inconceivably, could use the 2006 SCO communique to raise the
issue of Western NGOs in «the post-Soviet space.» END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63733
date: 5/11/2006 16:47
refid: 06DUSHANBE870
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: SECRET
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO1750
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUCOSGG #0870 1311654
ZNY SSSSS
BT
S E C R E T SVC NBNL319
RUEHDBU0870 1311647 PSN 218882
SIPDIS
NON-FATAL, ZFF MESSAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUIRED
OAASZYUW RUEHDBU0870 1311647-SSSS—RULSDMK.
ZNY SSSSS ZZH ZZK
O O 111647Z MAY 06 ZFF4 PSN 058601K20
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON
B T
—————— header ends —————-
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000870
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, SCA/FO, SCA/CEN, EUR/FO, EUR/RUS, INL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/11/2031
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, SNAR, RS, TI
SUBJECT: URGENT REQUEST FOR DEMARCHE ON SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AND SECURITY CONFERENCE
DUSHANBE 00000870 001.2 OF 002
CLASSIFIED BY: RICHARD E. HOAGLAND, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, EMBASSY
DUSHANBE.
REASON: 1.4 (B), (D)
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARA NINE BELOW.
2. (S) ON MAY 11 AT 1800 LOCAL,
GENERAL-COLONEL SAIDIMIR
ZUHUROV, CHAIRMAN OF THE TAJIK STATE BORDER COMMITTEE, CALLED
THE U.S. DEFENSE ATTACHE AND REQUESTED AN URGENT MEETING.
GENERAL ZUHUROV TOLD THE DATT HE HAD A SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE THAT HE WANTED THE DATT TO PASS TO THE U.S. AMBASSADOR
IMMEDIATELY. ZUHUROV SAID ON MAY
6 OR 7 RUSSIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV HAD CALLED IN THE AMBASSADORS OF
KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, AND TURKMENISTAN, AND TOLD
THEM TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AND GEORGE
C. MARSHALL CENTER SPONSORED CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIAN
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AND SECURITY CONFERENCE SET FOR MAY 15-17 IN
DUSHANBE. LAVROV REPORTEDLY
ACCUSED THE UNITED STATES AND
TAJIKISTAN OF PUSHING THIS CONFERENCE TO SUPPORT U.S. GOALS, AND
CAUTIONED THE COUNTRIES TO NOT PARTICIPATE. ALL FOUR COUNTRIES
ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AS CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, IN
ADDITION TO RUSSIA, AFGHANISTAN, AND PAKISTAN. INDIA, CHINA,
AND TURKEY ARE INVITED AS OBSERVER NATIONS.
3. (S) GENERAL ZUHUROV STATED
TAJIK PRESIDENT RAHMONOV
EXPRESSED ANGER AT THE RUSSIAN MOVE, AND THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAD COMPLAINED TO THE RUSSIANS. ZUHUROV ADDED
PRESIDENT RAHMONOV CONTINUED TO EXPRESS HIS STRONG SUPPORT FOR
STRENGTHENING RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES, WHILE TAJIK
RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA ARE WEAKENING.
ZUHUROV SAID ALL TAJIK
MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CONFERENCE.
4. (S) ZUHUROV REITERATED THAT
THE RUSSIANS CONTINUE TO TRY TO
MAKE TAJIKISTAN APPEAR WEAK AND UNABLE TO PROTECT ITS BORDERS.
HE STATED THAT HE IS A GENERAL, NOT A POLITICAL FIGURE, AND DID
NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE RUSSIANS WERE AGAINST A CONFERENCE ON
COUNTER-NARCOTICS, WHICH IS MANIFESTLY IN THEIR INTERESTS. HE
SAID NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING THREATENS ALL COUNTRIES IN THE REGION
AND IS ONE ISSUE ALL COUNTRIES CAN AGREE ON, INCLUDING RUSSIA
AND UZBEKISTAN. HE NOTED THE
CONFERENCE IS BRINGING IN VERY
HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPANTS, TO INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT OF
TAJIKISTAN’S PERSONAL PARTICIPATION.
5. (S) ZUHUROV SAID THE CHINESE
EMBASSY HAD INFORMED THE TAJIK
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THEY PLANNED TO NOT ATTEND. HE SAID
HE HOPED THE UNITED STATES COULD STILL PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO
PARTICIPATE. ZUHUROV, THEN USING
A SLAPPING GESTURE, SAID
CHINESE PARTICIPATION WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE RUSSIAN FACE. THE
DATT COMMENTED THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY ARRANGE A MEETING WITH THE
CHINESE EMBASSY. ZUHUROV TOLD HIS
CHIEF OF FOREIGN RELATIONS TO
BE PREPARED TO MEET WITH THE DATT AND THE CHINESE EARLY ON MAY
12.
6. (S) ZUHUROV SAID HE WAS
DISAPPOINTED THE UZBEKS AND TURKMEN
HAD ALREADY DECIDED NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE, GIVEN
THEY HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST CONFERENCE IN GARMISCH IN
NOVEMBER 2005. ZUHUROV ASKED THE
UNITED STATES TO CONFIRM
KYRGYZ AND KAZAKH PARTICIPATION.
7. (S) ZUHUROV AGAIN REQUESTED
THE DATT TO PASS THIS
INFORMATION TO THE AMBASSADOR QUICKLY.
HE REITERATED PRESIDENT
RAHMONOV’S STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE UNITED STATES AND THE
CONFERENCE. HE EMPHASIZED
PRESIDENT RAHMONOV WAS PERSONALLY
INVOLVED IN ENSURING EACH PART OF THE CONFERENCE IS A STRONG
SUCCESS.
8. (S) CONFERENCE
BACKGROUND. THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIAN
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AND SECURITY WORKING GROUP AND CONFERENCE IN
DUSHANBE FOLLOWS THE INITIAL CONFERENCE HELD AT THE GEORGE C.
MARSHALL CENTER IN GARMISCH, GERMANY, NOVEMBER 2005. THE UNITED
STATES CENTRAL COMMAND AND THE GEORGE C. MARSHAL CENTER ARE
DUSHANBE 00000870 002.2 OF 002
CO-HOSTING THE DUSHANBE CONFERENCE.
THE FOCUS OF THE CONFERENCE
IS TO IMPROVE — VIA REGIONAL COOPERATION — EFFORTS TO CURB OPIUM
CULTIVATION, PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS, AND THE
INTERDICTION OF NARCOTICS IN THE REGION.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE
CONFERENCE ARE TO PRESENT A MODEL FOR CONDUCTING FUTURE BUSINESS
MEETINGS, DEVELOP A DATABASE PARTICIPATING NATIONS CAN SHARE,
AND CREATE A TWO-YEAR SCHEDULE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS. DURING THE
INAUGURAL MEETING LAST NOVEMBER, THE PARTICIPATING NATIONS — THE
UNITED STATES, U.K., AFGHANISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, PAKISTAN,
TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, AND KAZAKHSTAN — HAD
AGREED TO HOLD THE SECOND CONFERENCE IN DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN
THIS MAY. THE PARTICIPANTS ALSO
RECOMMENDED RUSSIA PARTICIPATE
AS A CHARTER NATION, DESPITE RUSSIA’S PREVIOUS REFUSAL TO
PARTICIPATE. SINCE THE WEEK
FOLLOWING THE FIRST MEETING IN
NOVEMBER, EMBASSY DUSHANBE HAS ENGAGED THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY ON
THE UPCOMING MAY CONFERENCE.
EMBASSY DISCUSSED AGAIN LAST WEEK
WITH THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE ATTACHE AND RUSSIAN DEPUTY CHIEF OF
MISSION THE OPPORTUNITIES THE CONFERENCE PROVIDED FOR ALL
REGIONAL PARTICIPANTS. BOTH
EXPRESSED THAT PARTICIPATION WAS AN
ISSUE THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WAS HANDLING, AND
THE EMBASSY IN DUSHANBE HAD LITTLE INPUT. OF NOTE, THE RUSSIAN
BORDER GUARD LEADERSHIP IN TAJIKISTAN HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN
PARTICIPATING.
9. COMMENT AND ACTION
REQUEST: GENERAL ZUHUROV IS ONE OF THE
STRAIGHTEST SHOOTERS IN TAJIKISTAN.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO
REASON TO BELIEVE HE IS PLAYING SOME SORT OF ZERO-SUM GAME WITH
THIS INFORMATION. EMBASSY
DUSHANBE REQUESTS THE DEPARTMENT
PREPARE AN URGENT DEMARCHE TO BE DELIVERED, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE,
ON MAY 12 IN THE PARTICIPATING STATES’ CAPITALS, URGING THEM TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE DUSHANBE CONFERENCE BECAUSE IT IS IN THEIR
OWN AND THE GREATER REGION’S INTERESTS.
END COMMENT AND ACTION
REQUEST.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 63839
date: 5/12/2006 12:56
refid: 06BEIJING8919
origin: Embassy Beijing
classification: SECRET
destination: 06STATE76684
header:
VZCZCXYZ0014
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBJ #8919 1321256
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 121256Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5152
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 1805
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0662
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 1210
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 8182
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 1051
—————— header ends —————-
S E C R E T BEIJING 008919
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2016
TAGS: PREL, SNAR, CH, RS, TI
SUBJECT: URGENT DEMARCHE REQUEST: PARTICIPATION IN MAY
15-17 CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIAN COUNTERNARCOTICS AND
SECURITY CONFERENCE
REF: STATE 76684
Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
(S) In response to the Ambassador’s delivery on May 12
of reftel points on the Dushanbe conference, Vice
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told the Ambassador he
would report to his superiors the USG message on the
importance of Chinese participation in the May 15-17
conference in Dushanbe of participating members of the
working group on Central and South Asian
Counternarcotics and Security.
China will carefully
consider U.S. views, Yang asserted.
RANDT
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 64128
