id: 81137
date: 10/10/2006 9:33
refid: 06DUSHANBE1848
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO3917
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1848 2830933
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 100933Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8774
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1850
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1784
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1842
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1859
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1724
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1817
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1867
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1543
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1556
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1751
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1821
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 1109
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0215
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001848
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: ONE MONTH OUT: TAJIK GOVT SHUTS DOWN WEBSITES AHEAD OF THE
ELECTION
REF: Dushanbe 468
1. (U) Tajikistan’s internet service providers blocked access
to several websites deemed «opposition» sites one month ahead of
the November 6 presidential election. Sites include popular
news information agencies such as Ferghana.ru and
Centralasia.ru. The Ministry of Communications’ Agency on
Regulation of Communication issued a letter dated September 7 to
internet service providers ordering them to block access to
websites that «aim to undermine the state’s policies in the
sphere of information.» The Ministry’s rationale is that these
sites may inflame oppositionists who want to destabilize the
government and security situation in Tajikistan.
2. (SBU) Recognizing the ramifications of internet censorship,
some internet service providers initially did not respond to the
Agency’s request and pointed out that it is not the provider’s
obligation to filter information. They said the Agency on
Regulation of Communications is not a censoring body, nor should
it engage in investigating websites and providers. One internet
service provider’s executive director pointed out the Ministry’s
action undermines President Rahmonov’s efforts to attract
investments in Tajikistan.
3. (SBU) Communications companies in Tajikistan believe the
censorship order is not only to block opposition opinion, but
also the latest effort by the Ministry of Communications and the
Anti-Monopoly Agency to control more tightly the communications
industry. According to Embassy sources, these two government
departments aim to control communication industry tariffs. The
Ministry of Communications still has not given up the idea of
establishing a single gateway for Tajikistan, forcing all
telecommunications and internet service providers to lay out
their cables through that gateway in order to gain access to
major international telecommunications hubs (reftel). A single
gateway would essentially create a monopoly to enable the
Ministry to monitor information content, and collect tariffs
without competition. The Ministry of Communications continues
to try to push approval for a single gateway through parliament,
but thus far has not been successful, due to unusually vocal
opposition from telecom and internet operators.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: It is unclear who is behind this latest
effort to shut down the opposition and control internet media.
Rahmonov knows he will win the election and censorship is hardly
necessary at this point because no true opposition candidates
are running. Tajikistan has not seen a strong movement on the
internet to foment opposition or undermine the government, as
only three percent of the population has access to the internet.
This censorship signals that the Tajik government is confident
of its strength and may move to tighten the reins on media
freedom even after the election. END COMMENT.
HUSHEK
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 81554
date: 10/12/2006 11:10
refid: 06DUSHANBE1863
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 06DUSHANBE1773|06DUSHANBE1848|06DUSHANBE1863
header:
VZCZCXRO6908
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #1863/01 2851110
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 121110Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8794
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1870
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1860
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1818
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1752
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1822
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0241
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001863
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR MERKEL; STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: FOUR WEEKS OUT: POLITICAL PARTY FACTION BRIBES MINISTRY OF
JUSTICE; MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
REF: A) DUSHANBE 1773 B) DUSHANBE 1848
CLASSIFIED BY: Tom Hushek, CdA, U.S. Embassy, Dushanbe, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (SBU) Four weeks out from the November 6 presidential
election, five candidates have successfully registered
candidate. Opposition political parties are weaker than ever,
as a faction of the Democratic Party has won government
approval. The government ordered internet providers to block
news websites in an attempt to prevent content that «undermines
the policy of the state in the information sphere, inciting
social, racial and religious hatred and enmity.» (Reftel B)
A RIFT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY GETS WIDER
2. (SBU) The Ministry of Justice registered Vatan, a breakaway
faction of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT) as the
official party September 30, recognizing Masoud Sobirov as the
DPT’s chairman. According to the party’s charter, if ten
percent of the party supports a faction, an extraordinary summit
can be convened. Sobirov had convoked a summit August 27 and
again September 17. The Central Committee on Elections and
Referenda originally refused to recognize the Vatan faction, but
reversed itself after the Ministry of Justice upheld Vatan’s
right to convoke a summit according to the DPT charter.
3. (C) The original Democratic Party of Tajikistan, headed by
imprisoned chairman Mahmadruzi Iskandarov, but led by
Rahmahtullo Valiev, threatened to apply to the Dushanbe mayor’s
office for permission to hold a demonstration. However, no
action was taken. (COMMENT: The mayor’s office was unlikely to
grant the party permission to demonstrate, given the widely-held
belief that political demonstrations started the Tajik Civil
War. END COMMENT.) A close Embassy source reported a Vatan
official directly confessed that the faction bribed Ministry of
Justice officials into registering the party. Prior to the
bribe, the Ministry of Justice had denied Vatan registration
after a scandal that revealed Vatan had submitted false
signatures for registration.
4. (SBU) The Ministry of Justice’s blessing of Vatan permitted
the Central Commission on Elections and Referenda (CCER) to
attempt to register Vatan’s candidate, Tavarali Ziyoyev, in the
presidential election even though this came after the deadline
for nominating candidates as outlined in the constitution.
However, Vatan failed to gather the required 160,000 signatures
by October 6 to get Ziyoyev’s name on the ballot. Valiev and
the original DPT planned to boycott the election by not fielding
a presidential candidate.
5. (C) Tajik Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov, at an October 6
reception in honor of Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher,
called the problems in the DPT «infighting» and noted it was not
the government’s role to decide which faction was legitimate.
Boucher pointed out that the Tajik government had indeed
legitimized Vatan when the Ministry of Justice and CCER
registered the faction. «The MoJ is not the government,»
protested Nazarov. To his puzzled counterparts, Nazarov
explained that MoJ’s decision was «independent» and not the
position of the Rahmonov administration.
FIVE NAMES, BUT ONLY ONE REAL CANDIDATE
6. (C) The Central Commission on Elections and Referenda
announced five candidates October 11: President Emomali
Rahmonov, People’s Democratic Party; Ismoil Talbakov, Communist
Party; Olimjon Boboyev, Party of Economic Reforms; Abduhalim
Ghafforov, Socialist Party, and Amir Qaraqulov, Agrarian Party.
The four challengers represent parties known to support
Rahmonov’s administration and policies.
COMMENT
7. (SBU) The decision to register Vatan represents one more
example of the government’s systematic efforts to weaken the
extremely limited opposition and ensure that nothing stands in
the way of a total victory for Rahmonov. The Democratic Party
posed no threat, but the government likely engineered the split
DUSHANBE 00001863 002 OF 002
in order to further reduce the DPT’s ability to boycott the
election by allowing the faction to field a candidate under the
DPT name. Nazarov’s claim that the MoJ did not represent the
government suggests the presidential administration feel little
accountability for certain government ministries.
8. (SBU) Despite Rahmonov’s assurances to Boucher that the
opposition candidates would have access to the media, the
government is taking no chances with any independent commentary
or information reaching the voters prior to November 6. The
censorship of the websites and the legitimization of Vatan show
that while the government talks about transparent elections,
their words have not resulted in more choice for the electorate.
END COMMENT.
HUSHEK
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 82262
date: 10/18/2006 7:13
refid: 06DUSHANBE1908
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO2445
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1908 2910713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180713Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8845
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1823
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1865
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1872
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0302
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001908
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR, ECON, EFIN, EINV, EIND, ELAB, EAID, ETRD, PGOV, TI
SUBJECT: DON’T DRINK THE BOTTLED WATER, EITHER: THREE TAJIK
ENTERPRISES
1. (U) INTRODUCTION: EmbOffs met October 13 with
representatives of three companies in Hissor, located 25 minutes
west of Dushanbe. On the railway line from Uzbekistan to
Dushanbe, Hissor is a key wholesale trading area, with
construction materials, gas, wheat flour, canned food, and water
bottling enterprises. A number of local entrepreneurs have
managed to turn crumbling Soviet-era plants into barely
functioning factories, but Hissor is far from a boomtown. END
INTRODUCTION.
2. (U) At the «Farrukh» soft drink factory in Hissor, four
women sit with bare hands in the production line. As the
nearly-filled plastic bottles roll towards them on the conveyor,
one woman scoops syrup out of a bucket into the bottles, the
next two pour additional water to fill the bottles to the top,
and the last screws on the caps. The unappetizing factory
conditions contrast sharply with the modern Obi Zulol water
bottling factory in the northern city of Istaravshan, which has
succeeded in exporting bottled water to ISAF troops in
Afghanistan.
3. (U) Izatullo Razikov, the director of the closed joint
stock company «Farrukh», inherited 11 hectares of the Soviet
factory «Hydro Construction Materials.» Utilizing a small room
on the third floor of a massive, dilapidated three-story 1980’s
Soviet factory, Farrukh produced poly propylene bags using
Chinese equipment and imported material from Russia and Korea,
until last year when import tariffs as high as 33 percent on the
raw materials made production unprofitable. Farrukh’s main
production now includes the water bottling facility described
above and an equally unsavory ice-cream production plant. In
addition, the grounds contain a hodgepodge of other commercial
endeavors, including a small beer brewery, a cotton oil
production facility, a small farm, a gas storage facility,
propane gas storage facility, and an aluminum smelting facility.
(COMMENT: The factory also produces a large number of cobwebs.
We could not fathom why Razikov’s suspicious deputy was
convinced EmbOffs were engaged in industrial espionage to steal
Farrukh’s corporate secrets. END COMMENT.)
4. (U) Nearby, the privately-owned company «Nuri Dilshod» also
arose from the remains of the «Hydro Construction Materials»
factory when the company’s director, Nurullo Huseinov, purchased
twenty percent of the plant in the early 1990’s. Conveniently
located steps off the railway line, Nuri Dilshod employs 100
workers and operates a flour mill, several large warehouses, and
gas storage facilities. The gas storage facility has thirty new
72-ton containers (72,000 liters) and two 700-ton containers.
The gas comes from Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan for
distribution on the local market. The company’s five-year-old
Turkish milling equipment produces 75-80 tons of high-grade
flour each day, which is sold in Dushanbe and other local
markets. The company imports wheat from Kazakhstan, and
operates eight months a year. Several large dusty factory
buildings stand largely empty except for stocky Soviet machinery
producing a small order of steel-melting tools for the TadAZ
aluminum plant located 25 kilometers down the road
5. (U) The «Avicenna» company bottles water, beer and alcohol
for local distribution. The company’s largely automated yet
scraggly bottling plant is a step up from «Farrukh.» Mumbling
director Abdurazok Saidov told EmbOffs his company earns ten
million USD in annual sales, with roughly one million USD
profit. The company also owns an asphalt plant, and cooperates
in the U.S.-Tajik leather processing joint venture Interfur in
Dushanbe.
6. (U) COMMENT: At a Dushanbe briefing October 10, resident
World Bank economist Martin Brownbridge noted that very little
remaining unused Soviet capital stock could still be brought
back into productive use. According to his estimates, «total
factor productivity» (TFP) growth accounted for 7.2 percent
growth out of overall 9.7 percent GDP growth in Tajikistan from
2001-2004. TFP growth occurs by increasing use of underutilized
elements of production, such as old Soviet production capacity.
Brownbridge argued that with most of the usable Soviet-era
equipment already in use, future GDP growth will slow
dramatically. EmbOffs’ anecdotal observations in Hissor suggest
that Tajiks continue to come up with new and creative ways of
bringing old equipment back into production. END COMMENT.
JACOBSON
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 82559
date: 10/20/2006 5:58
refid: 06DUSHANBE1931
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO5226
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1931 2930558
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200558Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1827
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1869
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1876
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1843
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0335
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001931
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, EAID, ENGR, ETRD, TI
SUBJECT: DESPITE THE CHAMPAGNE, NOT MUCH TO CELEBRATE IN TAJIKISTAN’S
«NEW CITY»
1. (U) INTRODUCTION: During an October 17 visit to Shahrinau —
Persian for «New City» — PolOffs found nothing new in tours of
a wineless winery, a school with no electricity and talks with
local government officials. The district, located 25 kilometers
east of Dushanbe and 25 km west of the Uzbek border, has some
functioning Soviet-era industries, including the winery, a flour
mill and canning factory. District Chairman Pulotov reported
problems with limited electricity, transporting goods over the
Uzbek border and the lack of needed construction supplies. On
the election front, the Tajik government told District Election
Commission Headquarters not to interfere in upcoming elections,
according to Chairman Ganjev, who insisted that upcoming
elections would be free of corruption. END INTRODUCTION.
2. (U) Shahrinau currently gets only 10-12 hours of
electricity a day, from approximately 3 — 8 a.m., and from 4 —
10 pm, which is not enough to support the regular production of
wine at the local wine and spirits plant. When the electricity
works, the winery produces 10,000 deciliters of wine annually,
2000 dc of champagne and 10,000 deciliters of vodka for the
domestic market. Starting in October, this electricity supply
becomes even more limited and remains so throughout the winter.
Most of its 157 employees (compared to 850 in the Soviet
heydays) spend their down-time picking cotton to earn extra
money while the electricity is off. When the production line is
hot, most of its products do not have great market appeal, as
wine is not a competitive product in vodka-loving Tajikistan,
and exporting via the Uzbek border is severely limited. During
the Soviet era, Tajikistan products ranked alongside Moldovan
and Georgian in terms of quality, but Uzbekistan is no longer a
big market for Tajik wine and champagne due to chilly bilateral
relations. In addition, the area still suffers from the
Gorbachev-era destruction of vineyards in an effort to combat
alcoholism in the USSR. The domestic market for Tajik
champagne, however, is on the rise according to Deputy Director
Sattor Muminov, who hopes that times will be better when
problems are resolved with Uzbekistan and trade is freed up.
3. (U) Students are not picking cotton instead of going to
school this season — a change from years past thanks to a
decree from President Rahmonov forbidding the practice. In
classrooms full of Lenin busts, we found a lot of bright
students with dim futures. The school has no electricity or
heat in the winter. A school director told PolOffs her 1500
students «got used to the cold.» Each classroom had a coal
heater, but the radiator system in the cement building hadn’t
worked for years. The IT classroom was filled of computers
still in the boxes, with nothing to power them and no internet
to access. In fact, very few of the students in this school had
ever heard of the internet.
4. (U) In between calls from local businesses asking why the
lights were already off at noon in October, District Chairman
Rahmatullo Pulotov told us of problems related to the Uzbek
border and lack of construction supplies in the region. It is
difficult to get supplies in and out due to the Uzbeks’
insistence on keeping the border tightly shut. Even family
members have difficulty getting to the funerals of their loved
ones across the border, according to Pulotov.
5. (U) On the election front, Chairman Ganjev of the District
Election Commission Headquarters assured us that upcoming
elections would be free of corruption, noting he had been
instructed multiple times, from multiple authorities not to
permit any government interference in the election. «We didn’t
get that instruction (during the parliamentary elections) in
February 2005,» he admitted. Despite an office full of Rahmonov
propaganda posters, the facility does have posters of each of
the five candidates, though they are printed only in Tajik,
ignoring the Uzbek and Tartar voting class. Had any of the
candidates come to Shahrinau to campaign? «Not yet,» he said,
«but they will,» he was confident.
6. (U) COMMENT: Much has changed for the worse since the
Soviet era in this region. Wine is just one product suffering
from the lack of infrastructure, and the government is not
offering any solutions to the electricity problem. Whether free
and fair or not, Rahmonov is expected to win the election
bringing another seven years of more of the same. Keeping the
children in the classroom (albeit a chilly and dark one) and
instructing the local government not to interfere in elections
are just small steps in the right direction for this nation that
seems to lament the «glory days» of the Soviet era, when at
least its industries were employing people and its children were
being educated. END COMMENT.
JACOBSON
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 82773
date: 10/23/2006 6:27
refid: 06DUSHANBE1935
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 06DUSHANBE1773|06DUSHANBE1848|06DUSHANBE1863|06DUSHANBE1931|06DUSHANBE1935
header:
VZCZCXRO6889
OO RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #1935/01 2960627
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 230627Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8877
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1877
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1870
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1828
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1754
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1824
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0340
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001935
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
NSC FOR MERKEL; STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2016
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, TI
SUBJECT: THREE WEEKS OUT: OBSERVER MISSION DEPLOYING WITH MORE VIGOR
THAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS
REF: A) DUSHANBE 1773 B) DUSHANBE 1848 C) DUSHANBE 1863 D) DUSHANBE 1931
CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Ann Jacobson, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy
Dushanbe, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (C) Three weeks out, Tajikistan shows few visible signs of
an impending presidential election. Aside from a two-story
poster of President Rahmonov (resplendent with five by two foot
eyebrows) on Dushanbe’s main boulevard, campaign materials are
conspicuously absent in the capital. PolOffs saw posters for
all five candidates at a district election commission
headquarters (Ref D). Media coverage, of the president or other
candidates, has also been muted, focusing mainly on the various
candidates presenting their 160,000 signatures to register for
the ballot. Some local television stations have broadcast
programs about constitutional provisions and election laws as a
method to educate voters, but the overall atmosphere is subdued.
——————————————— —
OSCE/ODIHR HITS THE GROUND RUNNING
——————————————— —
2. (SBU) The Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(OSCE/ODIHR) election observation mission, however, is in full
swing. A core team of 12 representatives opened the mission
October 10, and an additional 13 long-term observers were
deployed to six regions October 17: Dushanbe, Kulob,
Qurgon-Tube, Khorog, Khujand and Rasht. The two-member
long-term observer teams are preparing for 100 short-term
observers.
3. (C) Onno van der Wind, the Dutch head of the election
mission, briefed member states October 20 on the status of
preparations. He noted local officials had warmly welcomed
long-term observers in each region, at the district and precinct
level. Van der Wind reported that during introductory meetings,
«90 percent» of their interlocutors in the national and local
government, diplomatic missions, non-governmental organizations
and political parties recommended the OSCE deploy a full
contingent of short-term observers.
4. (C) Van der Wind expressed concern that the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) has established its own observer
mission. «It’s difficult-they are all members of the OSCE,» he
observed, and as such, should respect the ODIHR mission and
mandate of neutrality and non-interference. «I hope they stick
to the Copenhagen Document,» he joked, referring to the 1990
agreement on fundamental democratic principles signed by all
participating states. He commented that the CIS mission press
release stating that there had been no violations in Tajikistan
thus far was something «the OSCE would never do.» Nonetheless,
he reported he held a productive meeting with the CIS mission
head, during which they promised to share factual information.
——————————————-
NO INTERFERENCE! I MEAN IT THIS TIME!!
——————————————-
5. (SBU) Rahmonov has been very public in instructing local
officials not to interfere in the election, most recently when
he visited the Qumsangir region, which experienced an earthquake
in July. A district election official remarked that this year,
unlike in past elections, Rahmonov and his administration had
stressed the policy of non-interference in the election process
(Ref D). During the Ambassador’s continuing introductory
meetings, every senior government officials has mentioned the
non-interference policy. However, Suhrob Sharipov, Director of
the presidential Center for Strategic Studies, told the
Ambassador that he was worried about what local officials would
do. «It’s one thing to change procedures and provide training.»
(Note: which the Election Commission is doing with help from
IFES — International Foundation for Election Systems. End
note.) «However, it’s much more difficult to change the
DUSHANBE 00001935 002 OF 002
mentality of these officials, who from Soviet times were
publicly asked to conduct a fair election but privately expected
to deliver the vote.»
——————————————
THE SAGA CONTINUES: DPT VS. DPT
——————————————
6. (C) In the Ambassador’s introductory call, Minister of
Justice Hamidov criticized the Democratic Party (DPT) for
infighting and disagreeing over the status of the Vatan faction
(Ref C). He suggested they use the courts to solve their
problems. Both DPT factions are publishing limited versions of
their party paper Adolat, and accusing the other of being
illegal.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: With no competition, no real campaign, and
no real enthusiasm, Rahmonov loses nothing by stressing that
election officials should remain neutral. The real test will be
the percentage he wins by in those districts where his
«opponents» might have a few voters turn out. The CIS observer
contingent will likely be nothing more than a rubber stamp for
any results. END COMMENT
JACOBSON
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 83021
date: 10/25/2006 10:43
refid: 06DUSHANBE1943
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO9489
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1943 2981043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251043Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8895
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1844
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1110
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 0359
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1872
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1833
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1728
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 0104
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1879
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1544
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY 0102
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001943
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, ETRD, PGOV, PREL, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK FINANCE MINISTER ASKS U.S. FOR DEBT RELIEF
1. (U) In her introductory meeting with Minister of Finance
Safarali Najmuddinov October 19, Ambassador Jacobson discussed
Tajikistan’s evolving economic progress, debt-taking, and state
budget priorities. The Minister raised the issue of
Tajikistan’s $17 million debt to the United States, and also
requested U.S technical assistance for the Ministry.
2. (U) Priorities for the 2007 government budget include
education, the energy sector, and income subsidies. The
unapproved budget includes 506 million Somoni (146.6 million
USD) for the education sector; 120 million Somoni more than last
year. Other budget priorities include subsidies for low-income
citizens for water and energy services, subsidies for children
from low-income families, increased salaries for government
employees, and for reforms of administrative/government bodies.
Energy spending through loans and credits will account for 6% of
GDP — 540 million Somoni (156.5 million USD), including the
energy transmission line projects «North-South» and «Lolazor.»
The government will reduce its spending on vehicle purchases and
new building projects.
3. (U) The government also plans to attract investment in the
transportation and construction sectors. According to
Najmuddinov, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are
negotiating an infrastructure loan with the government with a
1.5 — 2% annual interest rate, 40 year repayment period and ten
year grace period.
4. (U) Najmuddinov noted that Tajikistan will be able to pay
back the recently granted $637 million Chinese loans, and that
they will continue to pursue secured credits through
international financial institutions on a favorable basis. The
Tajik government conducted negotiations with China for three
years over the credits. The Tajik side managed to soften the
proposed conditions of the loan to its final form: 20-year
repayment period, with a five-year grace period, and effective
2% annual interest rate.
5. (U) The Minister asked for the Ambassador’s help in
relieving Tajikistan’s $17 million debt to the United States.
According to the Minister, since 2000, Tajikistan has not
violated the terms or conditions of repayments on the debt, and
has already paid back $9 million. The Minister pointed out his
two meetings this year with Nancy Lee from U.S. Department of
Treasury, and set out the following as possible avenues forward.
First, he would like to address the issue multilaterally
through the Paris Club, although he noted the United States is
the only Paris Club member with which Tajikistan has debt.
Second, he would like to engage in bilateral negotiations with
the United States. Lastly, he proposed a sort of
debt-for-education swap, in which the United States would
forgive the debt, while the government reinvested this credit
into the educational or social sectors in Tajikistan.
6. (U) The Minister also sought U.S. technical assistance to
the Ministry through Department of Treasury technical advisors.
He previously agreed to work with Nancy Lee on development of a
medium-term program for state expenditures, and he will send a
letter to the Treasury Department requesting technical support.
The Minister also expressed interest in receiving U.S. support
to introduce international bookkeeping and accounting standards,
reporting and methodology, and provide training for some of the
180 Ministry of Finance employees.
7. (U) Najmuddinov recounted how far Tajikistan has come since
2000 in stabilizing the economy. However, spending in key
sectors such as education and health still falls short of needed
levels. In 2000, education was 1.2% of GDP, while spending on
health represented 0.8%. The 2007 budget proposes spending 5.6%
of official GDP on education, and 2% on health. These levels
leave Tajikistan out of reach of MCC requirements in the lowest
strata of poor countries.
HOAGLAND
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 83032
date: 10/25/2006 11:39
refid: 06DUSHANBE1945
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO9570
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1945/01 2981139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251139Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8896
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1880
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0361
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1834
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1873
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001945
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SNAR, PINR, TI, AF
SUBJECT: GRADUAL PROGRESS, BUT VISIBLE PROBLEMS AT TWO TAJIK-AFGHAN
BORDER POSTS
DUSHANBE 00001945 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: An October 18 visit to two border posts
revealed extremely basic living conditions and a slow but solid
start to U.S.-funded reconstruction efforts. Soldiers at
Bakhorat and Bog outposts on the border with Afghanistan face
winter with limited electricity and supplies, and almost no
recreational options for off-duty hours. Soviet-era land mines
still pose a problem along the border. Skirmishes with
traffickers continue, but border guards have only limited
equipment to detect and detain individuals. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Living conditions at Bog exceed those at Bakhorat, 20
kilometers to the west. The dormitory at Bakhorat for enlisted
soldiers, for example, consisted of approximately 30 beds, with
pillows and blankets which appeared to exceed the ages of the
soldiers. The dormitory did not have any windows; when asked if
the soldiers got cold at night, the base commander replied «not
yet.» The group shower was currently under construction and
inoperable. When asked where the soldiers bathe, the commander
replied: «We find places; sometimes in the river.» Bakhorat had
a small volleyball court available for recreational use, but no
visible electronic equipment. By contrast, Bog had a
functioning television.
3. (SBU) International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL)
-funded interior and exterior reconstruction had begun at both
bases. The soldiers’ barracks now feature plywood ceilings,
fiberboard wall coverings, and wooden flooring. Bakhorat had an
older but operable power generator; Bakhorat was also
temporarily housing a new generator, which was being used to
supply power to surrounding border posts. The Bakhorat base
commander stated the base currently received approximately four
hours of electricity each day, but little to none is expected in
the winter. The situation in Bog appeared better, where they
were planning to install heat/air conditioning units and a mini
Hydro-Electric Station (HES). INL-funded solar batteries also
supply power for communications equipment.
4. (SBU) Several active land mines still punctuate the
Tajik-Afghan border, most remnants of the Soviet-Afghan war,
laid by the Soviet army to prevent border incursions from the
Afghan mujahideen. The Bakhorat base commander stated the
immediate perimeter that surrounds the base had been cleared of
land mines and that the nearest mine field was four kilometers
away. The road leading to Bog had several warning signs posted
of mines in the immediate vicinity.
5. (SBU) Security: Sporadic firefights have taken place
between Tajik border patrols and Afghans attempting to illegally
cross the border. Authorities claim eleven Afghans have died
thus far in 2006. Some Tajik border guards have taken
casualties while on patrol, but none have been fatally wounded.
EmbOffs observed small Tajik foot patrols during the one-hour
drive from Bakhorat to Bog; some soldiers maintain stationary
positions on mountain cliffs that overlook the border area,
while others comprise mobile foot teams that patrol the river on
foot between border posts. Additionally, Bakhorat and Bog each
had a single watchtower, manned by a single soldier. While
these soldiers were armed, they had no night-vision goggles to
detect or interdict nocturnal crossings. The soldiers standing
post during our visit appeared more interested in observing
EMBOFFS than the Pyanj river that divides Tajikistan from
Afghanistan. Bog and Bakhorat currently do have radio
communications, which will be strengthened after the Office of
Defense Cooperation (ODC) and INL installs the Harris
communications network by summer 2007.
6. (SBU) The Bakhorat base commander requested three items. 1)
Their refrigerator had stopped working, and he requested a new
one since they currently lack an operable place to store meat or
bread. 2) 15 new wooden poles, to hang electric cables around
the perimeter of the base. 3) A new transformer to better
generate electricity for the base.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Things remain bleak along the border.
Export and Border Security (EXBS) provided over 5,000 uniforms,
boots and related clothing to the Tajik Border Guards in
September 2006. Rumor has it that the majority of these
supplies are currently sitting in Dushanbe warehouses, rather
than at the border posts where they are most needed. INL will
begin providing an additional 10,000 winter uniforms the week of
October 30. The distribution of these important items will be a
DUSHANBE 00001945 002.2 OF 002
key issue for Embassy follow-up, particularly as winter
approaches. END COMMENT.
JACOBSON
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 83117
date: 10/26/2006 5:41
refid: 06DUSHANBE1948
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: UNCLASSIFIED
destination: 06DUSHANBE1943
header:
VZCZCXRO0342
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1948 2990541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260541Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8901
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1845
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 1111
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 0366
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 1875
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1836
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1729
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 0105
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1882
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1545
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY 0103
—————— header ends —————-
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001948
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON, EFIN, ETRD, PGOV, PREL, TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK FINANCE MINISTER ASKS U.S. FOR DEBT RELIEF (CORRECTED
COPY — SIGNATURE LINE)
REF: DUSHANBE 1943
1. (U) In her introductory meeting with Minister of Finance
Safarali Najmuddinov October 19, Ambassador Jacobson discussed
Tajikistan’s evolving economic progress, debt-taking, and state
budget priorities. The Minister raised the issue of
Tajikistan’s $17 million debt to the United States, and also
requested U.S technical assistance for the Ministry.
2. (U) Priorities for the 2007 government budget include
education, the energy sector, and income subsidies. The
unapproved budget includes 506 million Somoni (146.6 million
USD) for the education sector; 120 million Somoni more than last
year. Other budget priorities include subsidies for low-income
citizens for water and energy services, subsidies for children
from low-income families, increased salaries for government
employees, and for reforms of administrative/government bodies.
Energy spending through loans and credits will account for 6% of
GDP — 540 million Somoni (156.5 million USD), including the
energy transmission line projects «North-South» and «Lolazor.»
The government will reduce its spending on vehicle purchases and
new building projects.
3. (U) The government also plans to attract investment in the
transportation and construction sectors. According to
Najmuddinov, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are
negotiating an infrastructure loan with the government with a
1.5 — 2% annual interest rate, 40 year repayment period and ten
year grace period.
4. (U) Najmuddinov noted that Tajikistan will be able to pay
back the recently granted $637 million Chinese loans, and that
they will continue to pursue secured credits through
international financial institutions on a favorable basis. The
Tajik government conducted negotiations with China for three
years over the credits. The Tajik side managed to soften the
proposed conditions of the loan to its final form: 20-year
repayment period, with a five-year grace period, and effective
2% annual interest rate.
5. (U) The Minister asked for the Ambassador’s help in
relieving Tajikistan’s $17 million debt to the United States.
According to the Minister, since 2000, Tajikistan has not
violated the terms or conditions of repayments on the debt, and
has already paid back $9 million. The Minister pointed out his
two meetings this year with Nancy Lee from U.S. Department of
Treasury, and set out the following as possible avenues forward.
First, he would like to address the issue multilaterally
through the Paris Club, although he noted the United States is
the only Paris Club member with which Tajikistan has debt.
Second, he would like to engage in bilateral negotiations with
the United States. Lastly, he proposed a sort of
debt-for-education swap, in which the United States would
forgive the debt, while the government reinvested this credit
into the educational or social sectors in Tajikistan.
6. (U) The Minister also sought U.S. technical assistance to
the Ministry through Department of Treasury technical advisors.
He previously agreed to work with Nancy Lee on development of a
medium-term program for state expenditures, and he will send a
letter to the Treasury Department requesting technical support.
The Minister also expressed interest in receiving U.S. support
to introduce international bookkeeping and accounting standards,
reporting and methodology, and provide training for some of the
180 Ministry of Finance employees.
7. (U) Najmuddinov recounted how far Tajikistan has come since
2000 in stabilizing the economy. However, spending in key
sectors such as education and health still falls short of needed
levels. In 2000, education was 1.2% of GDP, while spending on
health represented 0.8%. The 2007 budget proposes spending 5.6%
of official GDP on education, and 2% on health. These levels
leave Tajikistan out of reach of MCC requirements in the lowest
strata of poor countries.
JACOBSON
=======================CABLE ENDS============================
id: 83132
date: 10/26/2006 9:00
refid: 06DUSHANBE1950
origin: Embassy Dushanbe
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination:
header:
VZCZCXRO0497
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHDBU #1950/01 2990900
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 260900Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8903
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1837
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1876
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1883
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1846
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0368
—————— header ends —————-
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001950
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PREL, ECON, ETRD, TI, UZ
SUBJECT: «FAIR AND ACCURATE» INFORMATION THE KEY TO GOOD U.S.-UZBEK
RELATIONS, SAYS UZBEK DIPLOMAT IN DUSHANBE
CLASSIFIED BY: Tom Hushek, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy
Dushanbe, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: The key to improved U.S.-Uzbek relations is to
provide leadership with «true, accurate and fair information,»
according to Mirodil Abdurazzakov, the Uzbek Ambassador in
Dushanbe. In an Oct. 19 meeting with PolOff, Abdurazzakov
described Uzbek democracy as «more diplomatic» than that of the
West, and claimed the Uzbeks have a «different mentality» about
democracy. He raised the issue of the U.S. refusal to sign the
Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, describing
Uzbekistan as the champion of the non-proliferation movement in
Central Asia. Abdurazzakov dismissed Tajik complaints about
border problems, insisting transit and visa issues with
Uzbekistan are easily overcome through «paperwork.» END SUMMARY.
«Fair and Accurate» Reporting
2. (C) Uzbekistan is ready to cooperate with the U.S., said
Abdurazzakov, but Uzbekistan has been unfairly blamed for
current poor relations between the two countries. He argued
that the United States should take more of the blame for the
downturn in relations. Uzbek democracy, he reasoned, differs
from the Western version, is more «respectful, indirect and
diplomatic.» Reports from United States on last year’s events
in Andijon were «not fair and accurate,» according to
Abdurazzakov, who insisted that «the U.S. would do the same if
faced with the same situation.» He was adamant that the Uzbek
government had taken the proper steps to deal with the uprising,
but said his country hopes to have good relations with all
countries in the world, particularly Russia, China and the U.S.
The key to this, he opined, is to provide leadership with «true,
accurate and fair information.»
Suspicious of U.S. Intenti
